Indonesia is preparing to dispatch up to 8,000 troops to Gaza as part of a U.S.‑backed post‑war security framework, becoming the first country to offer such a large contingent under the latest ceasefire arrangements.
The deployment would form part of an International Stabilization Force authorised by the United Nations Security Council to help secure the territory, protect civilians and oversee the gradual demilitarisation of armed groups including Hamas.
Indonesian forces are expected to focus on non‑combat roles, with military engineers, medics and logistics specialists making up the core element of the contingent. Army chief of staff General Maruli Simanjuntak has said that training for these personnel has already begun and that their main tasks in Gaza will involve medical support and engineering work, rather than direct involvement in fighting. The broader force is also meant to secure key border areas, facilitate humanitarian access and help dismantle weapons and underground infrastructure.
Jakarta has joined President Donald Trump’s Board of Peace, an international body set up to coordinate political, security and reconstruction efforts in Gaza. Indonesia’s participation places it alongside other Muslim‑majority countries such as Saudi Arabia, Qatar and Türkiye, which have expressed interest in contributing but have not yet set firm troop numbers.
The board is scheduled to hold its first meeting in Washington on 19 February, where the shape of a technocratic Palestinian administration and the wider security plan for Gaza are expected to be outlined.
The move has sparked debate within Indonesia, where there has been strong public anger over Israel’s military actions in Gaza. Some Islamist groups and civil society organisations have criticised President Prabowo Subianto for aligning closely with a U.S.‑led structure they see as potentially legitimising Israeli security measures on Palestinian land. Prabowo has argued in response that, as the world’s largest Muslim‑majority country, Indonesia should help stabilise Gaza and work towards a durable two‑state solution.
Major obstacles remain on the ground. Hamas has said it will not disarm while Israeli forces continue to occupy parts of Gaza, raising doubts over the environment any international force will face. Reports indicate that an area in southern Gaza between Rafah and Khan Younis has already been designated as a potential site for foreign troops to set up barracks and support facilities, including for an Indonesian contingent numbering several thousand soldiers.
For now, the full timing, command structure and exact mission profile of Indonesia’s deployment have yet to be finalised. Officials stress that troop numbers and schedules will depend on the security situation and whether all parties fully adhere to the ceasefire and disarmament framework, leaving the ultimate success of the plan uncertain.