Indonesia has begun preparing up to 8,000 military personnel for a potential peacekeeping mission in the Gaza Strip, marking the first concrete troop commitment tied to an international stabilization effort in the volatile territory following long-running conflict.
Indonesian officials say military training is underway for soldiers who could form part of a multinational “International Stabilization Force” (ISF) envisioned under a broader post-war plan led by former U.S. President Donald Trump and supported by what is known as the Board of Peace.
The Indonesian Army Chief of Staff, General Maruli Simanjuntak, confirmed that troops are being prepared, especially engineers, medical teams and support personnel, though final decisions on deployment size, exact roles and timing have yet to be settled. The nation’s defence ministry says it is early in the planning process and no formal deployment orders have been issued.
State Secretary Prasetyo Hadi said the government is “finalizing arrangements” toward sending around 8,000 personnel but noted that operational details including where they would be stationed in relation to Gaza’s borders remain unresolved.
If carried out, the deployment would be historic: Indonesia would be the first country to announce a specific troop contingent for a peace operation tied to Gaza since the enclave’s last major foreign military engagements in the 20th century. Indonesia is also the world’s most populous Muslim-majority nation and has long championed Palestinian statehood.
The proposed mission forms part of a broader international effort to stabilize Gaza after years of conflict involving Hamas and Israeli forces. The ISF is intended to provide security support, assist in reconstruction and help protect civilians, though critics have questioned how the force will operate without a clear United Nations mandate and what legal authority it would have.
Domestically, Indonesia’s plan has drawn mixed reactions. Some religious and civil society groups have urged caution, warning that sending troops to a conflict zone with ambiguous rules of engagement could pose both political and moral risks. Others argue the country must balance its historic support for Palestine with commitments to peace and international cooperation.
The debate is unfolding as Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto is expected to attend an upcoming international meeting of the Board of Peace in Washington. There, officials hope to secure broader consensus and clarify the mandate for the Gaza stabilization effort before any deployment moves forward.
For now, Indonesia’s training of up to 8,000 troops signals a significant shift in its international role one that could bring Southeast Asia’s largest military into the heart of one of the Middle East’s most complex crises.