Which Countries Have Joined the ISF?

In February 2026, U.S. Army Major General Jasper Jeffers, the ISF commander, announced that five countries had agreed to send soldiers: Indonesia, Morocco, Kazakhstan, Kosovo, and Albania . Indonesia was expected to provide the largest contingent (approximately 5,000 troops, with plans for up to 8,000) and to hold the deputy command . In late June 2026, Greece also joined the force, though no deployment timeline was specified .

United States — U.S. military personnel will not deploy into Gaza itself but will facilitate humanitarian, logistical, and security assistance from international counterparts .

First deployment target — initially planned for early 2026, then pushed to May 1, 2026, centered around a new UAE-built city near Rafah . As of late May 2026, no significant troop contributions had materialized on the ground .

Current Status: A Force in Name Only

By May 2026 — three months after the pledges — none of the five committing countries had delivered significant numbers of troops, and General Jeffers still had no deployable force . The biggest blow came when Indonesia put its commitment of 8,000 troops on indefinite hold after the U.S. and Israel attacked Iran on February 28, 2026 . Conflicting messaging from U.S. officials has added confusion about the ISF's scope, timing, and viability .

The ISF Commander stated the long-term vision includes 20,000 soldiers and 12,000 police officers operating across five sectors, but these remain aspirational targets . As one analysis put it, "early enthusiasm among potential contributors has evaporated" as the specifics and objectives of the ISF mission have not been clarified .

Key Challenges

1. Hamas's Refusal to Disarm

This is the single biggest blocker. The Board of Peace's first six-month progress report, submitted to the UN Security Council in May 2026, stated that the board remains "flummoxed by Hamas' refusal to disarm" — a prerequisite for reconstruction funds and ISF deployment . The ISF cannot deploy securely, reconstruction funds cannot be released, and the peace plan's second phase cannot proceed unless Hamas disarms .

2. Troop Commitments Unfulfilled

Pledges have not translated to boots on the ground, partly due to legal, political, and financial concerns among contributing states . The December 2025 US-led meeting in Doha to plan the ISF was largely inconclusive, with attendees failing to agree on the force's composition, mandate, or rules of engagement .

3. A Deteriorating Ceasefire

While a ceasefire is formally in place, Israel has continued seizing territory and striking targets, and Hamas has entrenched, repositioned, and rearmed . The ceasefire violation count reached 64 by mid-December 2025 according to IDF reports .

4. Unclear Mandate and Competing Visions

Analysts note that conflicting information about the Comprehensive Plan and the Board of Peace raises questions about whether the ISF can deploy as originally conceived . A review of the Board of Peace's charter indicates a substantial deviation from its original purpose: it is now defined as a global conflict-resolution mechanism outside the UN framework, with no reference to Gaza and no limitation to the Israeli–Palestinian conflict .

The Broader Diplomatic Framework

Trump's 20-Point Peace Plan

The ISF is the security pillar of Trump's 20-point peace plan, which calls for a ceasefire, hostage release, prisoner exchanges, Hamas disarmament, Gaza reconstruction, and a pathway to Palestinian governance reform . The plan was endorsed by UN Security Council Resolution 2803 in November 2025 .

Board of Peace (BoP)

The Board of Peace is a U.S.-led international body established by Trump, named in UNSCR 2803, and tasked with overseeing all 20 points of the peace plan — including strategic direction for the ISF . It held its inaugural meeting on February 19, 2026, in Washington, where Trump announced $7 billion in pledges from nine participating nations for a Gaza reconstruction fund . However, the reconstruction money is contingent on Hamas disarmament — a condition that remains unmet . Russia's President Putin received an invitation to join, but the board has drawn skepticism from close U.S. allies who view it as an attempt to bypass traditional UN frameworks . The board's mandate runs through December 31, 2027 (renewable) .

Hamas Disarmament Negotiations

This is the critical choke point linking all tracks: the ISF cannot deploy securely, reconstruction funds cannot be released, and the peace plan's second phase cannot proceed unless Hamas disarms . By June 2026, Hamas had not complied, leaving the entire framework in a holding pattern .

Bottom Line

The International Stabilization Force for Gaza has pledges from six countries and a U.S. commander, but no meaningful troop deployment has occurred as of June 2026. The force is paralyzed by Hamas's refusal to disarm, unfulfilled national commitments (compounded by Indonesia's suspension of its pledge), a deteriorating ceasefire, and unresolved questions about its mandate. These challenges are directly tied to the broader Trump peace plan and Board of Peace framework — all of which are stalled at the same point: reconstruction and stabilization are conditioned on disarmament, and disarmament has not happened.

Which Countries Have Joined the ISF?

In February 2026, U.S. Army Major General Jasper Jeffers, the ISF commander, announced that five countries had agreed to send soldiers: Indonesia, Morocco, Kazakhstan, Kosovo, and Albania . Indonesia was expected to provide the largest contingent (approximately 5,000 troops, with plans for up to 8,000) and to hold the deputy command . In late June 2026, Greece also joined the force, though no deployment timeline was specified .

United States — U.S. military personnel will not deploy into Gaza itself but will facilitate humanitarian, logistical, and security assistance from international counterparts .

First deployment target — initially planned for early 2026, then pushed to May 1, 2026, centered around a new UAE-built city near Rafah . As of late May 2026, no significant troop contributions had materialized on the ground .

Current Status: A Force in Name Only

By May 2026 — three months after the pledges — none of the five committing countries had delivered significant numbers of troops, and General Jeffers still had no deployable force . The biggest blow came when Indonesia put its commitment of 8,000 troops on indefinite hold after the U.S. and Israel attacked Iran on February 28, 2026 . Conflicting messaging from U.S. officials has added confusion about the ISF's scope, timing, and viability .

The ISF Commander stated the long-term vision includes 20,000 soldiers and 12,000 police officers operating across five sectors, but these remain aspirational targets . As one analysis put it, "early enthusiasm among potential contributors has evaporated" as the specifics and objectives of the ISF mission have not been clarified .

Key Challenges

1. Hamas's Refusal to Disarm

This is the single biggest blocker. The Board of Peace's first six-month progress report, submitted to the UN Security Council in May 2026, stated that the board remains "flummoxed by Hamas' refusal to disarm" — a prerequisite for reconstruction funds and ISF deployment . The ISF cannot deploy securely, reconstruction funds cannot be released, and the peace plan's second phase cannot proceed unless Hamas disarms .

2. Troop Commitments Unfulfilled

Pledges have not translated to boots on the ground, partly due to legal, political, and financial concerns among contributing states . The December 2025 US-led meeting in Doha to plan the ISF was largely inconclusive, with attendees failing to agree on the force's composition, mandate, or rules of engagement .

3. A Deteriorating Ceasefire

While a ceasefire is formally in place, Israel has continued seizing territory and striking targets, and Hamas has entrenched, repositioned, and rearmed . The ceasefire violation count reached 64 by mid-December 2025 according to IDF reports .

4. Unclear Mandate and Competing Visions

Analysts note that conflicting information about the Comprehensive Plan and the Board of Peace raises questions about whether the ISF can deploy as originally conceived . A review of the Board of Peace's charter indicates a substantial deviation from its original purpose: it is now defined as a global conflict-resolution mechanism outside the UN framework, with no reference to Gaza and no limitation to the Israeli–Palestinian conflict .

The Broader Diplomatic Framework

Trump's 20-Point Peace Plan

The ISF is the security pillar of Trump's 20-point peace plan, which calls for a ceasefire, hostage release, prisoner exchanges, Hamas disarmament, Gaza reconstruction, and a pathway to Palestinian governance reform . The plan was endorsed by UN Security Council Resolution 2803 in November 2025 .

Board of Peace (BoP)

The Board of Peace is a U.S.-led international body established by Trump, named in UNSCR 2803, and tasked with overseeing all 20 points of the peace plan — including strategic direction for the ISF . It held its inaugural meeting on February 19, 2026, in Washington, where Trump announced $7 billion in pledges from nine participating nations for a Gaza reconstruction fund . However, the reconstruction money is contingent on Hamas disarmament — a condition that remains unmet . Russia's President Putin received an invitation to join, but the board has drawn skepticism from close U.S. allies who view it as an attempt to bypass traditional UN frameworks . The board's mandate runs through December 31, 2027 (renewable) .

Hamas Disarmament Negotiations

This is the critical choke point linking all tracks: the ISF cannot deploy securely, reconstruction funds cannot be released, and the peace plan's second phase cannot proceed unless Hamas disarms . By June 2026, Hamas had not complied, leaving the entire framework in a holding pattern .

Bottom Line

The International Stabilization Force for Gaza has pledges from six countries and a U.S. commander, but no meaningful troop deployment has occurred as of June 2026. The force is paralyzed by Hamas's refusal to disarm, unfulfilled national commitments (compounded by Indonesia's suspension of its pledge), a deteriorating ceasefire, and unresolved questions about its mandate. These challenges are directly tied to the broader Trump peace plan and Board of Peace framework — all of which are stalled at the same point: reconstruction and stabilization are conditioned on disarmament, and disarmament has not happened.