Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced on Sunday that Israel would have the final say on which foreign forces would be permitted to join an intended international force in Gaza as part of U.S. President Donald Trump’s ceasefire plan. It is uncertain if Arab and other nations will be willing to deploy troops due to Hamas militants’ refusal to disarm, as stipulated in the plan, and Israel’s reservations about the force’s composition. Despite ruling out the deployment of U.S. troops in Gaza, the Trump administration has been engaging with countries like Indonesia, the United Arab Emirates, Egypt, Qatar, Turkey, and Azerbaijan to contribute to the multinational force.
“We are responsible for our security, and we have clearly stated that Israel will decide which forces are unacceptable to us, and this is how we will act,” Netanyahu stated during a cabinet meeting, emphasizing that this approach is supported by the United States.
Last week, Netanyahu hinted at opposing any involvement of Turkish security forces in Gaza, reflecting the deteriorating relations between Turkey and Israel during the Gaza conflict. Israel, which imposed a blockade on Gaza for two years to support its military operations against Hamas following a cross-border attack by the militant group on October 7, 2023, maintains control over all access points to the territory.
Hamas announced on Sunday that it had expanded its search for the remains of hostages in Gaza, with Egypt sending a team of experts and heavy equipment to assist in the retrieval efforts. The ceasefire brokered by the U.S. mandates Hamas to promptly return the bodies of Israeli hostages, with Israel agreeing to repatriate 15 Palestinian bodies for each Israeli one.
As part of the ceasefire agreement, Hamas has returned 15 hostages’ remains but has not handed over any in the past five days. Meanwhile, Israel has repatriated the bodies of 195 Palestinians, many of whom remain unidentified.
Looking ahead, the ceasefire plan involves challenging tasks such as disarming Hamas and overseeing the post-war governance of famine-stricken Gaza. International organizations continue to urge Israel to allow more humanitarian aid into the region.
Hamas leader in Gaza, Khalil al-Hayya, disclosed that the group had initiated searches in new areas to locate the remaining 13 hostages’ bodies. Trump has warned that he is closely monitoring the situation and expects Hamas to return more bodies within the next 48 hours.
Netanyahu defended the Israeli military’s recent actions following strikes on the Nuseirat refugee camp in Gaza, which Hamas described as a violation of the ceasefire. The military claimed the strikes targeted militants linked to the Palestinian Islamic Jihad group planning attacks, while Islamic Jihad denied the allegations. Hamas accused Netanyahu of undermining U.S. efforts to end the conflict.
Israel had previously conducted strikes in Nuseirat on October 19 in response to Hamas militants allegedly killing two soldiers, resulting in numerous casualties, including women and children. The conflict has led to a significant death toll in Gaza, with the Health Ministry reporting over 68,500 Palestinian fatalities over two years.