Cairo: SiltaNews – News Desk
Egypt called for the rapid establishment of the proposed international stabilization force for Gaza during meetings on Wednesday between Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty and members of the German Bundestag’s foreign affairs committee. Abdelatty outlined Egypt’s position on regional crises, placing the Palestinian cause at the forefront. He stressed the need to consolidate the ceasefire and implement UN Security Council Resolution 2803 without delay to address the scale of the humanitarian catastrophe facing civilians in the Gaza Strip.
The minister said the proposed stabilization force must be formed quickly to assume its responsibilities on the ground. During a separate meeting with Armin Laschet, the committee’s chairman, Abdelatty reaffirmed Egypt’s continued support for the Palestinian people and their legitimate rights, including the establishment of an independent state. He underscored the central role of UNRWA and the importance of maintaining international funding for the agency.
International Stabilization Force
The international stabilization force (ISF) is a temporary multinational force set to be formed under US President Donald Trump’s peace plan for Gaza, endorsed last month by the UN Security Council Resolution 2803. According to the resolution, the ISF should work with Egypt and Israel along with newly trained and vetted Palestinian police force to implement various tasks, including ensuring the demilitarizion of Gaza and the destruction of existing military infrastructure.
The resolution also endorses the creation of a “Board of Peace (BoP)” as a transitional administration led by Trump and other notable leaders to oversee a technocratic Palestinian administration in Gaza. Senior Hamas official Hossam Badran recently stated that any international force deployed in Gaza should be limited to monitoring a ceasefire and separating Palestinian civilians from Israeli forces.
In remarks to Al Jazeera, Badran warned against turning such a mission into a substitute for the Israeli army or a force against Palestinians as “unworkable and would only further complicate the situation.”
Stage Two of Gaza Deal
Hamas and Israel remain in the first phase of Trump’s plan, which has included a captive-prisoner exchange, a ceasefire, and a surge in humanitarian aid delivered to the enclave. Hamas has already released all living captives it held during the October 7, 2023 attack on Israeli cities, as well as all the remains of deceased captives except those of Ran Gvili and Sudthisak Rinthalak.
Israel has accused Hamas of stalling, while Hamas says the search has been slowed by the destruction left after two years of war. Under phase two of Trump’s plan, Israel forces would withdraw from its positions in Gaza as the new force and BoP assume responsibility.
Qatar, which, alongside Egypt, the United States and Turkey, mediated the October ceasefire, said on Tuesday it hoped both sides could soon move into a new phase of negotiations. Foreign Ministry spokesman Majed al-Ansari said the parties should advance to stage two despite delays in retrieving the remains of the captives, emphasizing that the issue should not impede progress.