There will be important developments in Gaza this week, according to the Board of Peace (BoP), which was established this past January in the wake of the US-backed ceasefire in Gaza last October.
Israel has agreed that the International Stabilization Force (ISF), a key part of the ceasefire and peace proposal, will enter Gaza. It also has approved the principles of the Trump administration’s 20-point plan.
This means the IDF will continue to control the Yellow Line in Gaza, which contains about half of the territory.
Israel actually controls up to 70% of Gaza, according to recent reports. Hamas controls the rest and continues to manage the lives of two million people.
This keeps the Gazans imprisoned under Hamas rule, and they cannot leave the small enclave.
The entry of ISF could be part of a larger process the White House wants to see happen, meaning reconstruction and enabling Gazans to live under a technocratic committee.
The BoP was inaugurated in January. Its work appeared to be mostly on hold, however, as the war with Iran took precedence.
Nevertheless, the BoP has continued to work with countries that are contributing to the ISF. Kosovo and Albania sent personnel to examine what will happen next, Morocco has agreed to contribute, and Kazakhstan is also expected to contribute.
Israel wants Hamas disarmed in Gaza. This week, the cabinet approved immunity for the ISF under the concept of the UN Immunities and Privileges Ordinance of 1947.
The ISF will coordinate with the IDF, and its entry will come with the approval of the prime minister, defense minister, and minister of foreign affairs.
Jerusalem only wants countries that have peace or normalized ties with Israel to operate in Gaza. It also doesn’t want countries that are hostile, even if those countries are at peace with Israel.
There is a “very important development in the process to deliver peace, prosperity, and development in Gaza,” the BoP said this week. “The International Stabilization Force serves a critical role in the scaling of humanitarian services and reconstruction for the people of Gaza. These efforts will move forward with concrete actions over the coming months to introduce a new model of governance, security, and economic opportunity.”
The pilot program in Gaza appears to resemble Israel’s other borders. For instance, there is a pilot program in Lebanon with the Lebanese Army. In Syria, Israel has appeared to reject any Syrian attempt to coordinate on security.
The US has been involved in bringing about ceasefires in Gaza and Lebanon, and it has also encouraged Israel to reduce its airstrikes in Syria. The White House has made it clear it wants to see peace.
Nickolay Mladenov, the Bulgarian diplomat who is the high representative for Gaza and director-general of the BoP, said he welcomes “steps by Israel that enable the deployment of the International Stabilization Force in Gaza, in accordance with UN Security Council Resolution 2803. It is a critical part of the agreed framework for stabilizing Gaza, supporting demilitarization, and enabling the transition to effective Palestinian transitional administration under the NCAG.”
The NCAG is the Palestinian technical committee that is supposed to run Gaza. Hamas is supposed to be disarmed and give up its governance of Gaza.
Hamas has claimed it would give up governance, but it also elected a new leader recently and does not seem to be serious about handing over power in Gaza.
Egypt and Saudi Arabia want to see progress in Gaza. The US wants Saudi Arabia to join the Abraham Accords. Riyadh, however, wants to see positive developments on the Palestinian issue.
The success of the ISF in Gaza could be key to the next phases of peace in the region. Israel has appeared skeptical of the plans for Gaza.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu flew to the US on Monday. The Trump administration will likely want to discuss Gaza, Lebanon, Syria, Iran, and other issues.
Hurdles in Gaza, logistics, education, healthcare
There are hurdles in Gaza. Equipment and materials will need to enter Gaza as part of logistics operations to enable success. This will also need to dovetail with aid and also potential reconstruction in a pilot zone.
The concept might be to let a few people leave the Hamas-run area and be able to move to a secure area free of Hamas where Gazans can receive education and healthcare. The Gazans have been under Hamas rule since an illegal coup in 2007.
There are other steps as well. Palestinian police will need to be trained and enabled to enter Gaza. Previous reports said Egypt and the European Union might be involved with the police. The EU already trains Palestinian police officers in the West Bank.
Israel is wary of any connections of Gaza to the Palestinian Authority, which would enable the PA to unite the Palestinian areas and work toward a state. Israel currently opposes a Palestinian state.
Israel is cooperating with the BoP, but things take time. Israel also has elections in October, and there are many challenges ahead.
There are also issues relating to the international community and getting more commitments for the ISF from various countries. A few dozen or even 200 personnel in the ISF is only the beginning to actually secure areas in Gaza.
A relatively new logistics area on the border of Gaza called LSA Endurance was established in recent months. In mid-June, Ines Demiri, Kosovo’s charge d’affaires in Israel, visited the new logistics hub.
According to the BoP, she inspected “the construction progress at Life Support Area Endurance, which will serve as a vital waypoint for ISF to refit while supporting restoration & humanitarian efforts.”
This is one more piece of the puzzle in terms of supporting the next step in Gaza, and each month brings new progress.