# Israel's security cabinet approves legal framework for international stabilisation force in Gaza, drawn from 'friendly countries' Uganda and Morocco > Israel's security cabinet cleared the legal path on July 26 for a multinational International Stabilisation Force (ISF) to enter Gaza as part of US President Donald Trump's ceasefire plan; forces would come from 'friendly countries' and operate in areas outside Israel's military control while Israeli forces remain present elsewhere in the territory; a peace envoy welcomed the move but The National noted Israel continues to carry out regular strikes **Meta:** type: event · date: 2026-07-26 · heads: اللعبة الطويلة, ما لا يقولونه · 13 takes · 8 lenses · 9 regions ## Summary Israel's security cabinet voted on July 26 to approve the legal framework for an International Stabilisation Force (ISF) to operate inside Gaza, the first concrete institutional step in implementing [President Donald Trump](/ar/entity/person/donald-trump)'s Gaza ceasefire architecture. The force, to draw from countries [Israel](/ar/entity/israel) designates as friendly, would include troops from Uganda and Morocco according to the South China Morning Post, and would operate exclusively in areas outside Israel's active military control. A peace envoy welcomed the move. The approval does not end Israeli military operations: The National reports Israel continues to carry out regular strikes. The Palestinian Authority's reaction is not in the feed; Al Jazeera does not mention Palestinian consent to the ISF's deployment terms. ## The split Al Jazeera emphasises the ISF's geographic constraint, operating only where Israel's military is not, framing the approval as partial and conditional. The National highlights the tension between the diplomatic signal and continued Israeli strikes on the same day. The South China Morning Post reads it as procedural progress in Trump's ceasefire plan and names specific contributing countries. Free Malaysia Today's neutral-but-attentive coverage points to the importance of Muslim-majority states' perception of an Israeli-vetted peacekeeping force. ## By the numbers - 2, named contributing countries so far: Uganda, Morocco - July 26, date of Israel's security cabinet approval - 70%, estimated proportion of hostages released under the broader ceasefire as of July 10 (per [separate reporting](/ar/n/israel-gaza-ceasefire-70pct-jul10)) ## Why it matters Approval of an ISF framework is a step toward a post-conflict security architecture in [Gaza](/ar/entity/gaza-war), which has been the sticking point in [Trump's regional ceasefire push](/ar/n/iran-us-ceasefire-0727). If the force deploys, it would mark the first non-Israeli, non-Palestinian security presence in Gaza. The choice of contributing countries will be politically charged: Arab and Muslim-majority states must decide whether participation endorses Israeli terms. The continued Israeli strikes during the same period underscore that the ceasefire is partial, not comprehensive. ## What to watch - Whether Hamas and the Palestinian Authority formally accept or reject the ISF framework and its geographic limits. - Which other countries are named as ISF contributors, and whether any Arab or regional state joins Uganda and Morocco. - The pace of ISF deployment relative to any Israeli withdrawal; the two are connected and a mismatch would stall the peace plan. - Whether the [aid shortfall](/ar/n/gaza-ceasefire-aid-shortfall) improves as the ISF creates safer conditions for humanitarian corridors. ## Regional takes (batched by bias / lens) ### pan-Arab framing, ISF as conditional Israeli concession - **Al Jazeera** (Qatar, en) — Al Jazeera frames the security cabinet approval as a conditional nod rather than a commitment: the ISF will operate only in areas outside Israeli military control, meaning Israel retains operational veto over where the force can go. The outlet notes the force is to be staffed by 'friendly countries' and does not mention Palestinian consent. > "The ISF, to be staffed by 'friendly countries', will operate in areas outside of Israel's military control." Source: https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2026/7/26/israeli-government-nods-to-international-stabilisation-force-in-gaza ### Gulf perspective, peace envoy welcome, ongoing strikes tension - **The National (UAE)** (Gulf, en) — The National notes that a peace envoy welcomed the Israeli decision while simultaneously reporting that Israel continues to carry out regular strikes in Gaza, capturing the core contradiction in the ceasefire's implementation phase: political progress alongside ongoing military operations. > "Board of Peace envoy welcomes decision by Israel, which continues to carry out regular attacks in Gaza." Source: https://www.thenationalnews.com/news/mena/2026/07/26/gaza-peace-plan-inches-forward-as-israel-gives-green-light-to-peacekeeping-force/ ### Asia-Pacific read, naming Uganda and Morocco as contributing countries - **South China Morning Post** (Hong Kong, en) — SCMP provides the most specific detail in the feed, naming Uganda and Morocco as the planned 'friendly countries' for the ISF and describing the security cabinet approval as a legal framework for deployment. The framing is process-focused, treating this as incremental progress in Trump's ceasefire architecture. > "Security cabinet clears legal path for deployment from 'friendly countries' like Uganda and Morocco." Source: https://www.scmp.com/news/world/middle-east/article/3361969/israel-allow-international-force-gaza-under-trump-ceasefire-plan ### Muslim-majority Southeast Asian framing of Israel's security cabinet vote - **Free Malaysia Today** (Southeast Asia, en) — Free Malaysia Today covers the security cabinet vote neutrally but, as a publication in a Muslim-majority country with strong public opinion on Palestine, provides a Southeast Asian Muslim-world entry point into regional reaction; the outlet treats the approval primarily as a procedural step rather than a political breakthrough. > "Israel's security cabinet approves the legal framework allowing the multinational security force in US president Donald Trump's ceasefire plan to enter Gaza." Source: https://www.freemalaysiatoday.com/category/world/2026/07/27/israel-to-allow-international-force-into-gaza ### unlabelled - **Reuters via Yahoo News** (Global, en) — Source: https://www.yahoo.com/news/politics/articles/israeli-security-cabinet-approves-letting-162535742.html - **Just Security** (United States, en) — Source: https://www.justsecurity.org/149834/early-edition-july-27-2026/ - **Middle East Monitor** (United Kingdom, en) — Source: https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20260727-israeli-cabinet-approves-deployment-of-international-stabilization-force-in-gaza/ - **MP-IDSA (India)** (India, en) — Source: https://idsa.in/publisher/issuebrief/international-stabilisation-force-in-gaza - **Middle East Institute** (United States, en) — Source: https://mei.edu/policymemo/new-questions-on-the-international-stabilization-force-for-gaza/ - **The New Arab** (United Kingdom, en) — Source: https://www.newarab.com/analysis/does-gazas-international-stabilisation-force-have-future ### Jerusalem Post analysis on the ISF's potential to reshape postwar Gaza, framing supporters' view of the force as a step toward rebuilding Gaza and replacing Hamas's rule - **Jerusalem Post** (Israel, en) — Jerusalem Post examined how the ISF deployment could mark a structural shift in postwar Gaza governance; supporters described it as a significant step toward rebuilding Gaza and replacing Hamas's rule. > "Israel's approval of an international stabilization force marks what supporters describe as a significant step toward rebuilding Gaza and replacing Hamas's rule." Source: https://www.jpost.com/middle-east/article-903836 ### Jerusalem Post on US pressure to advance Gaza reconstruction before Hamas disarmament, with Israeli defense officials warning the ISF could restrict IDF operations and erode military gains - **Jerusalem Post** (Israel, en) — Jerusalem Post reported the US is pressing Israel to move on Gaza reconstruction before Hamas disarmament, while Israeli defense officials warned the ISF could restrict IDF operations, strengthen Hamas, and erode Israel's military achievements. > "Israeli defense officials warn that an international stabilization force could restrict IDF operations, strengthen Hamas, and erode Israel's military achievements." Source: https://www.jpost.com/middle-east/article-903773 ### Al Jazeera analytical dispatch with expert commentary framing the ISF approval as a calculated manoeuvre to deflect US pressure and fragment Gaza rather than a genuine peace commitment - **Al Jazeera** (Qatar, en) — Al Jazeera's analytical piece reported that experts viewed Israel's ISF approval as a calculated manoeuvre to deflect US pressure and fragment the Gaza Strip; analysts questioned whether the geographically restricted force represented genuine progress toward postwar stability. > "Analysts say Israeli cabinet's decision aims to deflect US pressure and fragment the Gaza Strip." Source: https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2026/7/27/israels-approval-of-limited-gaza-force-a-calculated-manoeuvre-experts-say ## Across the graph - Related: [[iran-us-ceasefire-0727]], [[gaza-ceasefire-aid-shortfall]], [[israel-gaza-ceasefire-70pct-jul10]] - Entities: Gaza War, Israel, Palestine, United States, Person:donald Trump --- Canonical: https://rbtfl.xyz/ar/n/gaza-isf-approval-0726