US is planning to fund peacekeeping force in post-war Gaza — report

The Pentagon has been in early talks that includes a proposal for the US to fund either a "multinational force" or a "Palestinian peacekeeping team" in besieged Gaza, according to the US news outlet Politico.

It cited two unnamed defence and other top US officials as saying that none of the options on the table would involve American troops in the territory. The US has previously emphasised that the plan to deliver maritime aid to Gaza via a temporary pier wouldn't involve boots on the ground either.

"We've had a number of conversations with both the Israelis and our partners about key elements for the day after in Gaza when the time is right," Politico quoted one senior official as saying.

The report said it could be months before Washington and its allies approach the stage of approving a plan, especially as regional stakeholders have been calling for a commitment to a two-state solution.

"Israel is the long pole in the tent," a US Department of Defense official told the news outlet, noting that Israel "has their hands full with other things."

Intensive deliberation

Currently, at an early stage of discussion, officials from the White House, Pentagon, State Department, and their international counterparts are engaging in talks regarding the potential composition of a post-war security force, as confirmed by at least four sources to Politico.

These deliberations underscore the serious consideration and viability of such security measures following Israel's response to Hamas.

One of the officials told Politico that funds for the plan could also encompass other purposes such as reconstruction, infrastructure development and humanitarian aid.

The Pentagon is anticipated to reallocate funds from within the department to finance this initiative. American support is likely to complement contributions from other nations, as per the report.

Genocide in Gaza

Israel's ongoing war on Gaza is now in its 175th day and has resulted in the deaths of at least 32,552 Palestinians, with nearly 75,000 wounded.

The Israeli war has pushed almost entire population of Gaza into internal displacement amid acute shortages of food, clean water and medicine, while 60 percent of the enclave's infrastructure has been damaged or destroyed, according to the UN.

Israel stands accused of genocide at the International Court of Justice, which in January issued an interim ruling that ordered Tel Aviv to stop genocidal acts and take measures to guarantee that humanitarian assistance is provided to civilians in Gaza. A leading UN expert earlier this week confirmed that Israel is carrying out genocide in Gaza.

On Thursday the World Court ordered Tel Aviv to "take all necessary and effective measures to ensure, without delay... the unhindered provision... of urgently needed basic services and humanitarian assistance."

"Palestinians in Gaza are no longer facing only a risk of famine, but... famine is setting in," the Hague-based court said.

While the war has turned much of the territory into a devastated wasteland, Israel has also imposed a siege on its 2.4 million people, eased only by occasional aid deliveries.

Prime Minister Netanyahu, known for his hawkish stance, has warned of a brutal invasion of Gaza southern Rafah city where more than 1.5 million Palestinians have taken refuge.