Full story
U.S. funds Gaza force
The U.S. is sending more than $206 million for a proposed Gaza peacekeeping force, with Reuters reporting that the State Department notified Congress it will provide $200 million for the International Stabilization Force’s equipment, infrastructure, vehicles and operational costs, plus an additional $6 million to repurpose U.S. armored vehicles.
“the State Department informed Congress it will provide $200 million for the International Stabilization Force's (ISF) equipment”
Haaretz said one notification described the ISF’s role as leading security operations and enabling the safe delivery of humanitarian aid and reconstruction material to Gaza, while noting the final composition was still being negotiated.
The funding is presented as the first concrete U.S. spending on the peacekeeping force, even as the effort has stalled because both Israel and Hamas have balked at conditions needed to advance the plan.
The Reuters report also said the cease-fire plan reduced violence in Gaza but has not ended Israeli attacks or secured militants’ disarmament, with more than 1,200 Palestinians and four Israeli soldiers killed in Gaza since a cease-fire was reached in October, according to Gazan health officials and the Israeli military.
In Jerusalem, Reuters reported that Trump’s envoy and son-in-law Jared Kushner met Hamas officials on Sunday and Israeli leaders on Monday, but left without a breakthrough as both sides stood firm on key demands.
Israel denies entry approval
Israel’s Prime Minister’s Office denied on Thursday that the political echelon authorized the International Stabilization Force to enter the Gaza Strip, with Israel National News quoting the statement: "In contrast with reports, the political echelon did not authorize the entry of the international force to the Gaza Strip."
The same Israeli denial said Israel will not allow reconstruction to begin until Hamas fully disarms, stating "Israel clarified that there will be no reconstruction in the Strip before the full disarmament of Hamas."
Israel National News linked the dispute to footage published by the Tzav 9 movement and the Otef Israel Forum, which claimed the footage shows the arrival of ISF forces ahead of reconstruction work in areas under IDF control.
i24NEWS said footage released Tuesday by Israeli groups Tzav 9 and the Otef Israel Forum showed what they described as the first international teams entering Gaza to conduct surveys ahead of planned reconstruction operations in the Kerem Shalom area.
i24NEWS also reported that Otef Israel Forum said Article 17 of the agreement allows reconstruction to begin in the coming weeks in areas under Israeli control along the “yellow line,” while Hamas continues to strengthen and arm itself.
Reconstruction tied to disarmament
Across the dispute, Israeli statements tied any reconstruction process to Hamas disarmament, with The Jerusalem Post quoting the PMO that "there will be no reconstruction of any kind in Gaza before the complete disarmament of Hamas."
“"there will be no reconstruction of any kind in Gaza before the complete disarmament of Hamas"”
Anadolu Ajansı reported that Netanyahu’s office denied approving the entry of an international stabilization force into the Gaza Strip and reiterated that "Israel has clarified that there will be no reconstruction in the Strip until Hamas is fully disarmed."
Anadolu Ajansı further said Netanyahu rejected the roadmap announced by the “Peace Council” on July 31, insisting on disarming Hamas before any Israeli withdrawal, and it described the roadmap as including deployment of an international stabilization force and phased Israeli withdrawal alongside Hamas disarmament.
The Haaretz report said the Board of Peace described the last two weeks as a period of "significant advances" and said it sought additional funding pledges, including for the construction of a base for forces inside Gaza among other reconstruction projects.
Haaretz also reported that five countries have committed troops to the ISF so far—Indonesia, Morocco, Kazakhstan, Kosovo and Albania—while Egypt and Jordan have committed to train police, and it said it remains unclear when troops would be able to deploy.