Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has drawn a red line on Gaza’s future, declaring that Israel will block any “unacceptable” nations from participating in a planned international peacekeeping force. This assertion of veto power comes days after a truce brokered by Donald Trump.
Netanyahu said this stance is supported by the United States. Visiting US Secretary of State Marco Rubio confirmed the alignment, stating the force must be composed of “countries that Israel’s comfortable with” and that Hamas will be excluded from governing.
The prime minister has already signaled this veto would apply to Turkey, with whom relations have soured. The list of potential contributors includes Egypt, Indonesia, and Gulf Arab countries, though the US has ruled out sending its own soldiers.
This diplomatic hard line comes as the truce itself is tested. The key challenge of Hamas refusing to disarm remains. Furthermore, an Israeli strike on the Nuseirat camp, targeting alleged militants, was condemned by Hamas as a “clear violation.”
The exchange of remains is another source of friction. Trump warned Hamas on Truth Social to expedite the return of Israeli bodies, as Hamas has only returned 18 remains compared to 195 Palestinian bodies returned by Israel.