The agenda for discussions involving the U.S., Israel, and perhaps others, about what happens in Gaza “after the war,” now includes the proposals for an international peacekeeping force. Politico reported yesterday that it was told by Senators Chris Van Hollen (D-MD) and Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) that early, closed-door diplomacy is underway, over establishment of a peacekeeping force in Gaza, though it is not likely to include American troops. There are ongoing conversations regarding the possible composition of an international force, Van Hollen said, refusing to go into specific detail. “They are very preliminary and fragile.”
Van Hollen added: “I do think it’d be important to have some kind of multinational force in Gaza as a transition to whatever comes next.” Blumenthal said that the congressional delegation with which he traveled to Israel last week discussed the possibility of having Saudi Arabian troops in the force. He noted, however, that he hadn’t heard of U.S. troops heading to Gaza as part of the deliberations.
Separately, Bloomberg reported that there are three options under consideration, one of which might involve U.S. troops in coalition with Arab states. However, National Security Council spokesman John Kirby insisted that there are “no plans or intention to put U.S. military troops on the ground in Gaza, now or in the future.”
