Multinational force on its way to Gaza: "Soon we will wake up and discover more foreign soldiers than IDF"
Security sources confirmed to Walla that foreign military officers, accompanied by an American force, were observed at the Gaza border as preparation for the entry of an initial multinational force of about 250 soldiers. Israel fears Turkish involvement, amid Erdogan's pressure on the US. Meanwhile, an IDF base in the south was transferred to the US and work is underway to establish the "Emirati city" in Rafah.
Security sources confirmed to Walla that over the past two weeks, foreign military officers, accompanied by an American military force, have been seen in the Gaza Strip border area as part of preparations for the entry of a multinational force into the Strip. The government has authorized the US to transfer an initial force of about 250 foreign soldiers. Countries that have expressed willingness to participate include Indonesia, Morocco, Kazakhstan, Kosovo, Uganda, and Albania. Israel's main concern is Turkish involvement: Turkish President Erdogan is pressuring the US to allow Ankara to take part in the missions, aiming to expand its regional influence. Jerusalem and the security establishment strongly oppose this due to Turkey's policy toward Israel, Erdogan's statements, and the fact that Turkey hosts the Hamas headquarters. A security source was quoted as saying, "It is not detached from reality that the Gaza Division and Southern Command will one day wake up and discover a foreign multinational force that outnumbers the soldiers of the Gaza Division." Meanwhile, the US military continues to transfer equipment to a base in the area of the Southern Brigade of the Gaza Division, which was an IDF base handed over to the Americans. Additionally, the "Emirati Terror-Free City" project is progressing on the ruins of Rafah, intended to secure the initial multinational force. The number of Palestinians who will undergo screening will be limited and defined as a "pilot," and there is no timeline for the project's progress amid opposition from the political echelon to rebuilding the Strip without dismantling Hamas.