The Pentagon is initially discussing the deployment of peacekeepers to the Gaza Strip, where Israel’s war has led to mass destruction, death, and displacement, and shows no signs of ending soon.
“The Defense Department’s planning does not currently include plans to send the United States (U.S.) troops to Gaza, but is instead looking at the prospect of a multinational or Palestinian peacekeeping mission,” Politico reported on Thursday, citing four anonymous officials, including two from the Pentagon.
A high-ranking official in the administration of U.S. President Joe Biden acknowledged that talks are taking place, but declined to discuss specifics.
“We are working with partners on various scenarios for interim governance and security structures in Gaza once the crisis is over. We have had numerous discussions with both the Israelis and our partners about key elements for the day after in Gaza when the time is right,” the official said.
One Pentagon official who spoke to Politico acknowledged that any plans for a war in Gaza would inevitably require Israel as a key player in the negotiations, but that it is currently focused on waging its own war.
One defense official said Israel “has its hands full with other things” at the moment.
“It would be one thing if the administration and the Israeli government aligned on the way forward, but that is simply not the case,” he said.
The talks extend beyond the Pentagon and include the White House and State Department, as well as foreign governments, four officials told Politico.
According to the original plans, the U.S. Department of Defense should finance foreign security forces, and the money could be used for reconstruction, humanitarian aid and other needs.
Much of the Gaza Strip has been destroyed since Israel launched the war in October last year following a cross-border attack by Hamas. Israeli forces have been recklessly destroying buildings and entire neighborhoods for several months, destroying 60 percent of the Palestinian enclave’s infrastructure. More than 32,600 Palestinians were killed in Israeli attacks.
The International Court of Justice (ICJ) has indicated additional interim measures, including the “unimpeded provision” of aid to the Gaza Strip, in the ongoing genocide proceedings against Israel at the request of the Republic of South Africa.
