Trump Administration Seeks US General to Command Gaza Stabilization Force

The Trump administration is preparing to name an American two star general to command the International Stabilization Force in Gaza, Axios reported on Thursday, citing two U.S. officials and two Israeli officials. Reuters could not immediately confirm the report. The development follows a United Nations Security Council resolution adopted on November 17 that authorized a Board of Peace and participating countries to establish a temporary stabilization force in Gaza.

U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Mike Waltz visited Israel this week and informed Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and other officials that Washington will lead the force and appoint a two star general as its commander, according to Axios. Neither the White House nor the Pentagon has provided comment to Reuters. President Donald Trump has said an announcement about which world leaders will serve on the Gaza Board of Peace should be made early next year.

The Security Council resolution, drafted by the United States, described the Board of Peace as a transitional administration that will set the framework and coordinate funding for Gaza redevelopment in line with Mr. Trump's 20 point peace plan to end the war with Hamas. The plan and the U.N. mandate together create an unusual legal and operational mix, coupling a U.S. led role with a multilateral framework under U.N. authority.

Policy experts and diplomats say the proposal raises immediate operational questions about command arrangements, rules of engagement and the legal basis for deploying U.S. forces in a territory that remains contested. Placing a U.S. general at the head of a multinational stabilization mission would be a visible assertion of American leadership, but it also risks entangling U.S. forces in complex postconflict security tasks including demining, policing, and protection of aid corridors. Those missions traditionally require significant national caveats and clear mandates from contributing countries.

There are also important domestic governance and congressional considerations. Deployments of U.S. forces overseas draw scrutiny under statutes governing the use of force and require sustained funding commitments from Congress for troop support and reconstruction. Lawmakers will likely press for briefings and legal justifications, particularly as public appetite for extended ground commitments remains constrained after two decades of U.S. military operations in the region.

Diplomatically, U.S. leadership of the stabilization force will test alliances and regional partnerships. Some governments may be willing to contribute troops or funding, while others may balk at direct involvement in Gaza given the political sensitivities with Palestinian authorities and regional publics. The composition and political legitimacy of the Board of Peace, as well as the choreography between military stabilization and civilian reconstruction, will determine whether the effort stabilizes Gaza or becomes a long term challenge.

Economically, coordination of reconstruction funding through a U.S. shaped Board could accelerate private and public investment flows into Gaza, but only if security conditions and political agreements enable predictable access. The coming weeks of diplomatic outreach and a formal announcement of board members will provide clearer signals to markets, aid agencies and governments planning to participate in what could be one of the largest reconstruction efforts in the region.