High-level political assessments in Israel have concluded that the proposed International Stabilization Force for Gaza (ISF) is unlikely to materialize, following indications that no foreign government is prepared to commit troops to the mission.
Officials say the development has shifted Israel’s strategic calculations regarding post-war arrangements in Gaza. According to accounts from the weekend’s closed-door consultations, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu informed cabinet members that he has reached an understanding with the United States: “If there is no external force, we will demilitarize Gaza.”
Security sources say the Israel Defense Forces have already begun preparing for expanded operations. IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Herzi Halevi Zamir is reported to have outlined five core principles that Israel insists must remain non-negotiable in any future Gaza framework. Among them is a plan to secure and “liberate” the remaining areas on the so-called red side of the enclave, where pockets of militant control persist.
Military planners argue that the absence of an international force places full responsibility for Gaza’s demilitarization on Israel’s security establishment, reinforcing Jerusalem’s insistence on long-term operational freedom in the territory.
