 "Aid donated by the UAE for the people of Gaza is stored in a warehouse at the port of Limassol, Cyprus, on November 7, 2025. Reuters File")
The United Arab Emirates has no plans to join the proposed international stability force in Gaza, citing the absence of a clear framework for the mission, Reuters quoted a senior Emirati official as saying on Monday.
Anwar Gargash, diplomatic adviser to the UAE president, said Abu Dhabi would instead focus on supporting political initiatives aimed at achieving peace and maintaining its role as a major provider of humanitarian assistance.
“The region remains fragile, yet there is reason for cautious optimism,” Reuters quoted Gargash as telling the Abu Dhabi Strategic Debate.
The ceasefire agreement designed to halt fighting between Israel and Hamas was brokered by the United States, with Egypt, Qatar, and Turkey also playing mediating roles.
Washington has drafted a United Nations Security Council resolution that proposes a two-year mandate for a transitional governance body in Gaza, alongside the deployment of an international stabilisation force.
Known as the International Stabilization Force (ISF), the mission would be authorised to “use all necessary measures” to demilitarize Gaza, protect civilians and humanitarian aid deliveries, secure the territory’s borders, and support a newly trained Palestinian police force, according to a draft reviewed by Reuters.
US President Donald Trump said last week that the stabilisation force for Gaza would deploy “very soon”, adding that “Gaza is working out very well”.
The US has approached several countries, including Indonesia, the UAE, Egypt, Qatar, Turkey and Azerbaijan, about contributing to the force, a senior US official had told Reuters, speaking on condition of anonymity.
Israel has excluded Turkey from participating in the proposed force, while Azerbaijan has stated it will not send peacekeepers to Gaza unless all hostilities cease.
Although the United States has ruled out deploying troops directly into Gaza, a US official said roughly two dozen American soldiers are stationed in the region in coordination and oversight roles to prepare for a possible deployment.
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View AllGargash emphasised that progress in Gaza hinges on reaffirming the principles of the Abraham Accords — dialogue, coexistence, and cooperation — as the only sustainable path toward a viable Palestinian state.
Under the Trump-brokered Abraham Accords in 2020, the UAE, Bahrain, and Morocco established formal ties with Israel.
With inputs from agencies