France and Britain, in coordination with the United States, are working to finalise a U.N. Security Council resolution to establish a future international force in Gaza, officials said Thursday.
The planned force aims to stabilise security in the Palestinian enclave amid a fragile U.S.-mediated ceasefire between Israel and Hamas. French Foreign Ministry spokesperson Pascal Confavreux said a U.N. mandate is crucial to ensure international legitimacy and facilitate contributions from participating countries.
“The discussions, notably with the Americans and British, are ongoing to propose this resolution in the coming days,” Confavreux said.
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A White House official confirmed the U.S. is in talks with several countries, including Indonesia, the UAE, Egypt, Qatar, and Azerbaijan, about contributing troops. Italy has also expressed willingness to participate. Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto previously offered to deploy up to 20,000 troops if a U.N. resolution is approved.
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer cautioned that the stabilisation force “will take some time,” as the terms of reference are still being drawn up. The mission is expected to operate outside a traditional U.N. peacekeeping framework, with contributing nations authorised to “take all necessary measures” to implement its mandate.
The initiative follows a U.N. General Assembly vote last month endorsing a declaration supporting a temporary international stabilization mission in Gaza and advancing a two-state solution between Israel and the Palestinians.
