Prabowo confirms Indonesian troop deployment to Gaza within 2 months

Washington (ANTARA) - President Prabowo Subianto announced that 8,000 Indonesian National Armed Forces personnel will deploy to Gaza within two months to join the International Stabilization Force (ISF) following the inaugural Gaza Board of Peace summit in Washington. 

The troops will serve alongside the International Stabilization Force (ISF), which consists of members from countries participating in the Gaza Board of Peace (BoP). 

"Maybe within one to two months," the President told reporters in Washington on Thursday afternoon. 

Prabowo noted that an advance team might be sent to Gaza first to map the area and conduct risk analysis. 

He also reiterated that Indonesia has been entrusted with a leadership role. 

"They asked us to be the deputy commander," the President said, emphasizing that the government would appoint its best officer for the position. 

During the summit, President Prabowo reaffirmed Indonesia’s readiness to contribute up to 8,000 troops, or more if necessary. 

"The ceasefire is a tangible achievement. We commend this and for that reason, we reaffirm our commitment to contribute a significant number of our troops," he stated. 

Meanwhile, ISF Commander Major General Jasper Jeffers of the US Armed Forces estimated that 20,000 soldiers and 12,000 police officers would join the mission to restore order in post-war Gaza. 

He identified Rafah, located in southern Gaza and bordering Egypt, as the ISF's initial destination. 

Other participating nations include Kazakhstan, Albania, Morocco, and Kosovo. Additionally, Egypt and Morocco will deploy police forces to provide specialized training. 

The summit, led by President Trump, lasted approximately three hours as member states outlined plans for the recovery and reconstruction of the Gaza Strip.