US and European allies back UN peacekeeping force in post-war Gaza, putting pressure on Israel

The US and its European allies are pushing a plan to establish an international peacekeeping force in the Gaza Strip following the recent conflict, sources familiar with the matter told Bloomberg, adding that the allies are building pressure on Israel to conclude its military operation as civilian casualties continue to rise. The US and European officials acknowledge significant uncertainties regarding the feasibility of such an operation in Gaza, sources told Bloomberg. They also recognize Israel’s strong scepticism toward the proposed plan. Despite the challenges, the mere discussion of the idea is seen as a potential way to encourage Israel to contemplate concluding the campaign and to consider the subsequent steps. These discussions, primarily taking place within the United Nations Security Council, are in response to increasing international demands for a ceasefire in Israel’s offensive against Hamas, designated as a terrorist group by both the US and the EU. European Union foreign policy chief Josep Borrell set out proposals last week for how Gaza should be run after the war between Israel and Hamas, calling on Arab countries to play a greater role in a future Palestinian administration. Borrell, who will travel to Israel, the Palestinian territories and neighbouring countries later this week, said it was vital to think about what happens after the war, even as the fighting rages. He said the international community had failed “politically and morally” to create a durable settlement to the long-running conflict between Israelis and Palestinians and it was now time to redouble efforts to find a two-state solution. Speaking to reporters after an EU foreign ministers meeting in Brussels, he presented his proposals as saying “no” to three things and “yes” to three others. He said no to any forced displacement of Palestinians from Gaza, to a permanent re-occupation by the Israeli military or any change to Gaza’s size and to a return of Hamas. Meanwhile, A dire lack of fuel in the Gaza Strip shut down all internet and phone networks Thursday, the main Palestinian telecom provider said, effectively cutting off the besieged territory from the outside world. In a signal that Israel’s ground invasion could soon expand to the south, Palestinians in parts of southern Gaza said they received evacuation notices Thursday. Most of Gaza’s 2.3 million people are crowded into the south, including hundreds of thousands who heeded Israel’s calls to evacuate the north to get out of the way of its offensive. At least 11,470 Palestinians — two-thirds of them women and minors — have been killed since the war began, according to Palestinian health authorities, which do not differentiate between civilian and militant deaths. About 2,700 people are reported missing. Israel vowed to wipe out Hamas after the militant group launched its Oct. 7 incursion. Some 1,200 people have died in Israel, mostly during the initial attack, and around 240 were taken captive by militants. With inputs from agencies.