(MENAFN) Pakistan announced that it is willing to join a proposed international force aimed at stabilizing Gaza, but made clear it will not participate in any effort to strip Hamas of its weapons. Speaking to journalists in Islamabad, Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar stated, “If the purpose of deploying an international stabilization force in Palestine is to disarm Hamas, then we are not ready for that, that's not our job,” emphasizing that “That is job of Palestinian law enforcement agencies.”

Dar explained that Islamabad is fully prepared to engage if the mission’s focus is peacekeeping rather than internal security enforcement. He noted that “Prime Minister (Shehbaz Sharif) had agreed in principle that we would also send forces, but we will decide only after knowing what the terms of reference, terms of action, and mandate will be.”

Recalling earlier discussions he attended, Dar said there had been informal indications that Indonesia was willing to deploy around 20,000 personnel. However, he added that “as per my information, if it will include disarming Hamas, then even my Indonesian counterpart has informally expressed his reservations.”

A recent decision by the UN Security Council approved the creation of a transitional governing body in Gaza along with an international stabilization force tasked with reconstruction, security, and administrative support. According to the resolution, the board and the ISF “presences authorized by this resolution shall remain authorized until Dec. 31, 2027, subject to further action by the (Security) Council, and (that) any further reauthorization of the ISF be in full cooperation and coordination with Egypt and Israel and other Member States continuing to work with the ISF.”

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