Egypt Expected to Lead Global Stabilisation Force in Gaza, Diplomats Say
the Hague/Naples - Egypt is anticipated to take the lead in a global stabilisation force for Gaza, according to diplomatic sources, as international pressure mounts over the escalating humanitarian crisis and potential legal rulings against Israel. The move comes amid growing scrutiny of Israel’s obligations as an occupying force and the future role of the Palestinian Authority (PA) in a post-conflict Gaza.
The expected deployment is unfolding as the international Court of Justice (ICJ) prepares to rule next Wednesday on allegations related to Israel ending cooperation with UN aid agencies, including the main Palestinian agency, UNRWA. Concurrently, a request for an ICJ advisory opinion – initially brought by Norway and backed by a UN security council resolution – will offer judges the opportunity to reaffirm Israel’s legal duty to provide aid to the people of Gaza, a duty officials acknowledge has not been met.
The scale of destruction in Gaza City presents an urgent challenge for the population. Officials admit the precise relationship between the Palestinian Authority (PA) and any future peace process requires clarification. PA foreign minister, Varsen Aghabekian, stated the PA had learned from past mistakes and is now functioning as a state in the making, highlighting curriculum reform as a key change.
However, Aghabekian cautioned that educational improvements alone would not foster peace, stating: ”If we develop that curriculum to the best standards of the world but children that are taught that curriculum continue to live under dire occupation will that give them a narrative of peace? No. What will bring them a narrative of peace, and internalise it, is when children do not experience, on a daily basis, checkpoints, a humiliation, trees being uprooted, the farms being burned and the fathers killed.”
