UAE rules out joining Gaza stabilisation force for now, backs peace efforts

The United Arab Emirates does not yet see a clear framework for the proposed international stability force in Gaza and, under the current circumstances, will not take part, a senior Emirati official said on Monday.

Anwar Gargash, diplomatic adviser to the UAE president, said Abu Dhabi would continue to support political efforts toward peace and remain a leading provider of humanitarian aid.

"The region remains fragile, yet there is reason for cautious optimism," he told the Abu Dhabi Strategic Debate. The Gaza ceasefire deal aimed at ending hostilities between Israel and Hamas was brokered by the United States, with Egypt, Qatar and Turkey also mediating. Washington has drafted a United Nations Security Council resolution proposing a two-year mandate for a transitional governance body and an international stabilization force in Gaza.

The force, known as the International Stabilisation Force (ISF), would be authorised to "use all necessary measures" to demilitarise Gaza, protect civilians and aid deliveries, secure Gaza's borders, and support a newly trained Palestinian police force, according to a draft seen by Reuters.

US President Donald Trump said last week that the stabilisation force for Gaza would deploy "very soon", adding that "Gaza is working out very well".

The US has approached several countries, including Indonesia, the UAE, Egypt, Qatar, Turkey and Azerbaijan, about contributing to the force, a senior US official had told Reuters, speaking on condition of anonymity. Israel has ruled out Turkish participation.

Azerbaijan has said it does not plan to send peacekeepers to Gaza unless there is a complete halt to fighting.

Though Washington has ruled out sending US soldiers into Gaza, the US official said around two dozen US troops were in the region in coordination and oversight roles to help prepare for the potential deployment.

Gargash said progress over Gaza depended on reaffirming the principles of the Abraham Accords - dialogue, coexistence and cooperation - as the only sustainable path to a viable Palestinian state. The UAE, Bahrain and Morocco established ties with Israel under the Trump-brokered Abraham Accords in 2020.

Reuters