Turkey: Disarming Hamas Shouldn’t Be the Primary Mission of a Gaza Stabilization Force

Image: Jihad Watch

Turkey’s foreign minister, Hakan Fidan, has emphasised that the proposed international stabilisation force (ISF) in Gaza must prioritise physically separating Israeli forces and Hamas rather than immediately attempting to disarm the Palestinian group. Speaking in Doha, Fidan argued that pushing for disarmament at the outset would be unrealistic and could jeopardise early progress. According to him, the ISF’s initial mandate should centre on creating space, stability, and a buffer between the two sides, thereby preventing renewed clashes. He also hinted that countries such as Indonesia and Azerbaijan—both of which have expressed willingness to contribute troops—would be more inclined to participate if Turkey were included in the UN-backed mission, a move Israel is currently resisting.

The negotiations surrounding the composition of the ISF, the formation of a peace oversight board, and the establishment of a 15-member Palestinian technocratic body to administer essential services in Gaza have stalled. Diplomats say this deadlock stems from intense behind-the-scenes debates over the exact responsibilities and authority of the ISF. Fidan reiterated that the sequence of actions is crucial, stressing that the peacekeeping force’s first task must be to create a clear physical separation: “We need to proceed in the correct order and remain realistic. The first goal should be separating Palestinians from the Israelis.”

Egyptian foreign minister Badr Abdelatty supported Fidan’s framework, proposing that the ISF be stationed along Gaza’s “yellow line”—a north–south demarcation that effectively divides Israeli military positions in the east from Hamas-controlled neighbourhoods in the west. Abdelatty insisted that a rapid deployment is essential, accusing Israel of daily ceasefire violations while simultaneously blaming Hamas. Monitors placed along the yellow line, he said, would help verify claims and prevent manipulation. He further clarified that the ISF should function strictly as a peace-monitoring mission rather than a peace-enforcement force.

Norway’s foreign minister, Espen Barth Eide, meanwhile noted that the US-backed proposal championed by President Donald Trump lacks clarity on the sequencing of ISF responsibilities, creating openings for both sides to delay action by insisting the other move first. Eide warned that assembling the peace board and deploying the ISF cannot be postponed any longer. With the ceasefire hanging by a thread, he cautioned that the region stands at a crossroads: either step forward into a stabilisation process or slide back into war and potential anarchy. “We cannot remain in this fragile situation for many more weeks,” he said. “The choice is between a structured path forward or a dangerous collapse backward.”

(This Article was originally published by Jihad Watch)