Trump plans to appoint an American general to lead the "International Stabilization Force" in Gaza

Axios reported on Thursday that US President Donald Trump intends to appoint General Jasper Jeffers (with the rank of Major General) to lead the so-called "International Stabilization Force" in Gaza, as part of an American plan aimed at imposing a ceasefire and reorganizing control in the Palestinian sector. This step comes in the context of Trump's plan to establish an international force to replace Israeli forces in large areas of Gaza, where estimates indicate that the Israeli army occupies more than 50% of the sector and continues to carry out military operations that have resulted in thousands of deaths and injuries.

It is noteworthy that the basic idea behind the "International Stabilization Force" is to transfer control from the Israeli occupation army to a multinational force led by the United States, with the aim of preventing continued killing and restoring security for Palestinian civilians. However, the report indicated that there are widespread doubts about the feasibility of implementing this plan, as countries that initially expressed their willingness to participate have expressed concerns about being drawn into a direct confrontation with Hamas, which may put their forces in a military confrontation on behalf of Israel.

In this context, the US Ambassador to the United Nations, Mike Waltz, affirmed during his visit to Israel on Wednesday that the main task of the international force will be to disarm Hamas. Waltz told the Israeli Channel 12: "The Security Council resolution authorizes the Stabilization Force to disarm Hamas, and we specifically included the phrase 'by all necessary means'." He added that the rules of engagement will be discussed with each country separately, stressing that US President Donald Trump insisted that Hamas will be disarmed "the easy way or the hard way."

Waltz also informed Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu that the United States will take the lead of the international force, noting that General Jasper Jeffers will be appointed to lead the operations, considering him to be competent. Israeli officials explained that Waltz affirmed the General's seriousness and leadership personality. On the other hand, reports indicated that Azerbaijan initially expressed its willingness to participate, while it has not yet taken its official position, while Turkey announced its readiness to send forces, but Israel rejected any Turkish role in this force.

In addition, US President Donald Trump stated on Wednesday that he intends to announce a "Peace Council" at the beginning of next year, which is an American body to oversee Gaza, after the American administration intended to launch the "second phase" of the ceasefire plan before Christmas. The latest resolution of the UN Security Council indicates placing Gaza under direct American supervision for at least two years, in a step that is considered a partial response to Trump's previous demands regarding American control over the sector. The United States has established a military base in southern Israel to monitor the ceasefire, despite the continuation of Israeli attacks and restrictions on humanitarian aid.

According to Axios, President Trump's plan for Gaza is heading to become the largest American political-civil-military project in the Middle East in more than two decades, complicated by its nature due to international interventions, regional tensions, and the hesitant Israeli position towards the participation of foreign forces.

According to experts, Trump's plan in Gaza represents a model for direct American military and political intervention in regional conflicts, but it carries great risks on the ground. Imposing the "International Stabilization Force" may lead to an escalation of the confrontation between Palestinians and Israelis, instead of achieving the desired peace. Also, the lack of clarity of tasks and the issue of rules of engagement increase the possibility of the participating countries being involved in an armed conflict with Hamas, which may weaken the credibility of the United States and provoke widespread popular and international rejection. At the same time, this step highlights the American ambition to dominate conflict zones, but it also reveals the limits of the ability to impose sustainable political solutions without real cooperation from local and regional parties.