Trump says expects int'l stabilization force in Gaza 'very soon'

President Donald Trump said Thursday he expects a U.S.-coordinated international stabilization force to be on the ground in Gaza "very soon," following two years of war in the territory between Israel and Hamas.

The multinational force — likely to include troops from Egypt, Qatar, Türkiye and the United Arab Emirates — is part of Trump's post-war governance plan for Gaza.

The plan helped lead to a fragile ceasefire between Israel and the Palestinian militant group on October 10, but the humanitarian crisis in Gaza has not abated.

"It's going to be very soon. And Gaza is working out very well," Trump said at a White House function with Central Asian leaders.

"You haven't been hearing too much about problems, and I'll tell you, we've had countries that have volunteered if there's a problem with Hamas."

The force is supposed to train and support vetted Palestinian police in the Gaza Strip, with backing from Egypt and Jordan.

It also will be tasked with securing border areas and preventing weapons smuggling to Hamas, which triggered the conflict with its October 7, 2023 attack on Israel.

On Wednesday, the United States circulated a draft UN Security Council resolution to partner nations aimed at shoring up Trump's plan, including by greenlighting the international force.

Washington's UN envoy Mike Waltz shared the draft with the 10 elected Security Council members and several regional partners — Egypt, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia and Türkiye — a spokesperson for the U.S. mission said in a statement.

A vote has not yet been scheduled.

According to diplomatic sources, several countries have indicated their willingness to participate in the force, but insist on a Security Council mandate before actually deploying troops into the Palestinian territory.

The head of the U.S. Central Command, the military command responsible for the Middle East, said last month during a visit to Gaza that no U.S. troops would be deployed there.