Israel's security cabinet approves legal framework for international stabilisation force in Gaza, drawn from 'friendly countries' Uganda and Morocco

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's Gaza ceasefire architecture. The force, to draw from countries 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)

Why it matters

Approval of an ISF framework is a step toward a post-conflict security architecture in Gaza, which has been the sticking point in Trump's regional ceasefire push. 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 improves as the ISF creates safer conditions for humanitarian corridors.