Indonesia will send an advance representative to the U.S. command center in Kiryat Gat by the end of the week to begin preparations for the deployment of thousands of Indonesian troops to replace IDF soldiers along the Yellow Line in Gaza later this year, according to the Trump peace plan.
The representative will discuss with the IDF the authorities and responsibilities of the first foreign force ever to be deployed in Gaza, including fire coordination procedures and rules of engagement in the area between western Negev communities and the Strip.
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Indonesian Army soldiers at a military parade, May 20252025
(Photo: Tatan Syuflana/AP)
The Indonesian forces are expected to be trained and armed in Jordan or Egypt, but are not supposed to operate inside Gaza areas controlled by Hamas. Their missions would include securing the initial construction of Rafah and guarding Hamas weapons collection and storage sites—if the terror organization agrees to hand them over, as outlined in the ceasefire agreement.
At this stage, the arrival of the foreign force does not include a mandate to operate against terror tunnels on either side of the Yellow Line.
Four months after the agreement was signed, Indonesia officially announced that its military is preparing up to 8,000 soldiers for possible deployment to Gaza on a “peacekeeping” mission. In the world’s largest Muslim country, officials said the move “underscores President Prabowo Subianto’s aspiration to play a more significant role in international security.”
Indonesia’s army chief of staff stressed, however, that the plan is still preliminary, noting that the number of troops and the deployment timetable have yet to be finalized. In a statement issued after a joint meeting of the military and police with Prabowo in Jakarta, it was said that any potential deployment would focus on engineering and medical units.
Indonesian President at UN General Assembly: 'We must recognize, respect and ensure the security of the State of Israel, only then will there be true peace'
(Video: UN)
Speaking at the UN General Assembly in September 2025, Prabowo said Indonesia was prepared to deploy “20,000 peacekeeping troops or even more” to help ensure peace in Gaza or elsewhere—but the number of Indonesian troops ultimately sent to Gaza is expected to be far smaller.
The current announcement was made under U.S. pressure, and against the backdrop of a desire to curry favor with U.S. President Donald Trump and to provide livelihoods for thousands of families. This would not be Indonesia’s first involvement in Gaza. In coordination with Israel, Indonesian Air Force planes dropped food and supplies into Gaza during the war, amid allegations of starvation.
Indonesia’s president was among dozens of leaders who attended a summit in Egypt on Gaza’s future, chaired by Trump and Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sissi. Indonesia has also recently joined Trump’s Board of Peace. President Prabowo said the Southeast Asian country would be open to establishing relations with Israel if Israel recognizes a Palestinian state.
In addition to Indonesia, Italy has also expressed willingness to send troops to the multinational force in Gaza. Italy is expected to be the only European country to deploy forces to the Strip. Azerbaijan had also planned to send troops to Gaza, but Turkey is reportedly working behind the scenes to block that move. Pakistan and Bangladesh are likewise considering contributing troops to the stabilization force.