Egypt has committed troops to the International Stabilisation Force (ISF) for Gaza, putting itself at the centre of the post-war order in the war-torn Strip. While the decision sends a strong signal about Cairo's commitment to security and stability, it forces Egypt to walk a fine line between protecting its national security and being drawn into an unpredictable conflict.
Cairo has helped plan the ISF from the beginning, reportedly establishing a command centre for it in al-Arish, the provincial capital of North Sinai, only a few kilometres from Gaza’s border. Al-Arish is home to a major logistics hub where humanitarian aid arrives from donor nations before being sent to Gaza. An ISF site and a logistics hub would make al-Arish a nerve centre for post-war Gaza stabilisation and rehabilitation. Egypt is also training hundreds of Palestinian security personnel before their deployment to Gaza.
Cairo has always insisted that the ISF be authorised by the United Nations Security Council. This materialised in November 2025, a month after the Gaza ceasefire plan was declared in Egypt’s Red Sea resort of Sharm el-Sheikh. The ISF’s mission is to provide security and advance the Gaza ceasefire towards a permanent calm, but Egyptian policymakers worry that an international force, once established in the strip, could veer away from its original aims.
The ISF is still being put together. So far, five nations—including Indonesia and Morocco—have committed troops. The size of Egypt’s contribution to the force or its deployment locations are not yet known, and there has been no announcement as to who will command it. Egypt may be given command, owing to its proximity to Gaza and its aspired role in post-war stabilisation and reconstruction, but that remains to be determined.
Deployment is part of Phase II of the Gaza ceasefire plan, which officially started in January. Gaza’s population of more than two million eagerly awaits the ISF, in part to facilitate the entry of more humanitarian aid into the hunger-stricken territory. Most importantly, they hope the ISF will end the conditions of war and restore a sense of calm. The 2025 ceasefire plan did not do so, with Israeli forces continuing to strike different parts of Gaza, taking the death toll beyond 73,000 since October 2023.
Preventive measure
It is hoped that the presence of international troops will end Israeli strikes in Gaza or bring them down to a minimum, depending on the scope of the ISF deployment, which has the support of US President Donald Trump, the main sponsor of Gaza’s 20-point ceasefire plan.
Egypt has a long record of support for the Palestinian cause, mediating between Palestinian factions and between the Palestinians and Israel, so the country’s choice as force commander may nullify any incitement against it by those who want to derail the ceasefire plan. Egypt is always reluctant when asked to dispatch its troops beyond its borders, but by committing troops to the ISF, Cairo acknowledges the importance of Gaza’s stability, not least for its own national security.
