UPDATE - 5 nations commit troops to Gaza stabilization force

ADDS DETAILS

By Yasin Gungor and Michael Hernandez

ISTANBUL/WASHINGTON (AA) - The commander of the Gaza International Stabilization Force (ISF) announced Thursday that five countries have committed troops to serve in the nascent security body.

Maj. Gen. Jasper Jeffers, speaking at the Board of Peace's inaugural meeting in Washington, DC, said Indonesia, Morocco, Kazakhstan, Kosovo and Albania pledged troops, while Egypt and Jordan would train police forces.

Jeffers outlined the ISF's dual mandate as stabilizing Gaza's security environment and enabling civilian governance as established by the National Committee for the Administration of Gaza (NCAG).

"For the last few months, we've had a team on the ground of US military experts preparing the infrastructure for the ISF," he said, adding the team is already operating from a combined joint operations center that will serve as the force's headquarters.

- Deployment plan

Jeffers said the force would be deployed across five sectors, with one ISF brigade assigned to each.

In the near term, the ISF plans to deploy to the Rafah sector first, alongside police training efforts. The mid-term goal is to expand sector by sector, with a long-term target of 12,000 police and 20,000 ISF soldiers, he said.

Jeffers also announced that Indonesia accepted the position of deputy commander of the force.

"With these first steps, we will help bring the security that Gaza needs for our future prosperity and enduring peace," he said.