Try GOLD - Free
Indonesia to send up to 8,000 soldiers to Gaza as part of Trump plan
The Guardian
|February 11, 2026
Indonesia has said it is preparing to send up to 8,000 troops to Gaza to be part of a peacekeeping force under Donald Trump's Middle East plan.
The announcement by the army chief of staff, Gen Maruli Simanjun-tak, makes Indonesia the first country to deliver a specific commitment to the international stabilisation force envisaged as part of the second phase of the Trump plan.
Israeli public radio reported yesterday that a site in southern Gaza, between Rafah and Khan Younis, had been designated for a barracks for the Indonesian force. The arrival of Indonesian peacekeepers in Gaza would be historic, as the first outside force in the territory since 1967. It would also put the world's most populous Islamic country at the heart of the Middle East's most intractable conflict.
Maruli said he expected an army brigade, between 5,000 and 8,000 troops, to be sent but emphasised that the mission was still in the planning stages. "It's all still being negotiated ... so there's no certainty on the number until now," Maruli said.
This story is from the February 11, 2026 edition of The Guardian.
Subscribe to Magzter GOLD to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 10,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Sign In
MORE STORIES FROM The Guardian
The Guardian
Benefits of joining EU's fund for Ukraine 'outweigh cost' - Starmer
Keir Starmer has said the benefit of joining the European Union’s £78bn loanscheme for Ukraine “outweighs the cost” as he argued the continent must move at pace to bolster its own defence.
3 mins
May 05, 2026
The Guardian
Kirstys of the world unite! Kent schoolgirl puts her name to cancer care fundraiser
Calling all Kirstys!
2 mins
May 05, 2026
The Guardian
Shropshire council staff 'abused' over removal of union flags
Residents, council staff and councillors have been subjected to rising “abuse, harassment and intimidation” directly linked to the removal of unauthorised flags, a local authority has said.
1 mins
May 05, 2026
The Guardian
Shipping Firms unsure whether new plan will make waterway safe
The world’s shipping industry has questioned if vessels will be able to travel safely to and from the Gulf after Donald Trump announced his latest plan to open the strait of Hormuz.
2 mins
May 05, 2026
The Guardian
Drug runners Enhanced Games dodges scrutiny but will have to face up to hard questions
The plan to fly to Las Vegas to cover what the Enhanced Games claims is the \"next frontier of human performance\" ended with a short email sent at 7.02pm on Friday.
1 min
May 05, 2026
The Guardian
'We must show it': Starmer to urge whole of society to fight rising antisemitism
Keir Starmer will call for a whole of society response to rising antisemitism today, saying it is not enough simply to condemn the scourge, but people \"must show it\" through their actions too.
2 mins
May 05, 2026
The Guardian
Kapoor says Venice Biennale jury should have fought to ban US over 'politics of hate'
Anish Kapoor says the US should be excluded from the Venice Biennale because of the country's \"abhorrent politics of hate\" and its \"incessant warmongering\".
3 mins
May 05, 2026
The Guardian
Move to oust PM could lead to 'chaos'
Cabinet ministers have warned mutinous Labour MPs that any attempt to oust Keir Starmer after a potentially disastrous set of election results would unleash chaos for the party that would not be easily overcome.
3 mins
May 05, 2026
The Guardian
Trial hailed as landmark for male fertility
A man whose testicular tissue was frozen before he underwent chemotherapy as a child, to be re-transplanted 16 years later, has been able to produce sperm in a groundbreaking fertility trial.
3 mins
May 05, 2026
The Guardian
Jeremy Bamber banned from talking to media from prison
Jeremy Bamber, who has served more than 40 years in prison for murdering five members of his family, has been banned from communicating with the media.
3 mins
May 05, 2026
Listen
Translate
Change font size