Israeli ministers urge Netanyahu to bar foreign forces from Gaza before Hamas disarmament

Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich and National Missions Minister Orit Strock have appealed to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, demanding that a decision be made to prevent the entry of foreign and multinational forces into the Gaza Strip before Hamas is fully disarmed and the enclave is demilitarized. The appeal comes ahead of a cabinet meeting scheduled for Monday.

The two ministers expressed concern over accelerated preparations for the International Stabilization Force's (ISF) entry into Gaza. Minister Strock recently toured the Life Support Area Endurance camp, a staging site for ISF forces, and observed significant deployment preparations. According to the ministers' statement, the camp is equipped with residential infrastructure for approximately 1,500 foreign soldiers, including large tents and temporary structures. A fleet of military vehicles for about 1,000 soldiers is also on-site, with ongoing development work and equipment delivery.

Smotrich and Strock claim that preparations indicate a force much larger than what has been presented to the cabinet, with an apparent aim that differs from official descriptions. They highlighted these developments occurring at a time when Hamas shows no willingness to disarm or demilitarize. The ministers warned in their letter to Netanyahu: "We must not reach a situation where the ISF, of such a huge scale, will be ready and willing to enter the Gaza Strip, and enormous pressure will be exerted on Israel to allow its entry, even though the demilitarization has not yet been carried out."

Based on the pace of work, preparations at the camp are expected to be completed within a few weeks, with ongoing efforts to identify additional locations for bases and storage. The ministers are demanding that the cabinet adopt a policy preventing the ISF's entry until full demilitarization is achieved, fearing that a large, ready force could compel Israel to accept its presence prematurely, undermining security objectives.

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We must not reach a situation where the ISF, of such a huge scale, will be ready and willing to enter the Gaza Strip, and enormous pressure will be exerted on Israel to allow its entry, even though the demilitarization has not yet been carried out.