Overview
- U.S. and Israeli officials say the White House plans to appoint an American two-star general to command the UN‑authorized International Stabilization Force, with officials stressing there will be no U.S. boots on the ground.
- President Trump said he will announce the leaders for the Gaza Board of Peace early next year, and sources say former UN envoy Nickolay Mladenov has been proposed as the board’s representative on the ground.
- Hamas leader Khaled Meshaal signaled openness to a weapons freeze or storage rather than surrender, while an Israeli official said Hamas will be disarmed and Gaza demilitarized under the plan.
- Countries such as Indonesia, Azerbaijan, Turkey and Egypt have been floated for ISF contributions and Germany and Italy were invited to the board, but concrete troop commitments and rules of engagement remain unclear.
- U.S. officials are pressing Israel to start debris clearance in a Rafah pilot as a prerequisite for reconstruction, with Qatar and Washington pushing Israel to cover removal costs and Israel tying further steps to the return of a fallen hostage’s remains.