Turks, Indonesians or others? Race is on to find troops to police Gaza

Senior US officer likely to head stabilisation force but its composition yet to be decided

- Jonathan Eyal

Displaced Palestinians gathering to get food in the Zeitoun neighbourhood of Gaza City on Oct 23. Several US officials say there is concern within the Trump administration that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu might vacate the ceasefire deal with Hamas. PHOTO: AFP

(AFP)

Two weeks have now passed since the guns fell silent in Gaza, and the ceasefire between Israel and Hamas, the militant Palestinian organisation that ruled the enclave, is holding.

But work on the second stage of US President Donald Trump’s plan for a “historic peace” between Israelis and Palestinians is moving far too slowly. And the obstacles that lie ahead remain formidable.

From the moment the US succeeded in imposing a ceasefire on the warring parties in Gaza, it was clear that it would be durable only if Mr Trump maintained his personal involvement in managing the conflict, ensuring that both Hamas and Israel delivered on their promises.

And since Mr Trump is not widely known for his attention to detail, the assumption among most security specialists was that, after achieving a ceasefire, the US would lose interest in pushing through the more intricate details of the agreement.

The critics were proven wrong. Far from losing interest, the administration in Washington seems to be doubling down on its efforts to translate its Gaza plan into action.

A constant stream of top US officials keeps arriving in the region. Vice-President J.D. Vance landed in Israel on Oct 21 for a two-day visit to shore up the Gaza peace process.

Hours after Mr Vance left, Secretary of State Marco Rubio arrived in Tel Aviv, pursuing the same objective. Mr John Ratcliffe, director of the Central Intelligence Agency, is due in Israel early in the coming week.

The US appears determined to have a senior official on the ground at any given time.