Kosovo Joins US-Led Gaza Stabilisation Force

Kosovo signed a formal agreement on Monday to join the International Stabilisation Force (ISF) that the United Nations has authorised to operate in Gaza. The deal, announced by the U.S.-backed Board of Peace, was signed by Kosovo Security Force Commander Lieutenant‑General Bashkim Jashari and U.S. ISF Commander Major‑General Jasper Jeffers. The agreement places the small Muslim‑majority Balkan state on a short list of countries ready to deploy troops to the Gaza Strip.

The move comes as part of a U.S.‑Israeli 20‑point plan introduced last year to end the Gaza war. The plan calls for a multinational security mission to keep the area stable, oversee demilitarisation, and train a Palestinian police force for post‑conflict governance. Countries already committed include Indonesia, Morocco, Kazakhstan, Albania and Uganda, while Turkey will not take part after Israel vetoed Ankara’s involvement. Israel has approved legal measures to allow the ISF to enter Gaza in July, and the force will operate “in full coordination with” the Israeli military, according to Israeli officials.

Kosovo’s participation signals its support for the Trump‑era peace framework and a willingness to contribute to a fragile peace in the region. The Board of Peace highlighted the country’s commitment to the mission and noted that the U.S. will fund the operation with more than $206 million, earmarked for equipment, infrastructure, vehicles and operational costs, plus an extra $6 million to repurpose U.S. armored vehicles for the force. The ISF’s advance elements are expected to arrive soon, but the deployment remains stalled by disagreements over when Israeli forces should withdraw from Gaza and how Hamas should be disarmed.

If Israel implements its commitments under the Gaza peace roadmap, the ISF could begin operations within weeks. The presence of new troops, including those from Kosovo, would aim to create a security vacuum that could help restore normalcy to Gaza’s residents. The international community watches closely, as the success of the ISF will hinge on coordinated actions by Israel, the United Nations and the contributing nations.