Indonesia Ready to Deploy Up to 8,000 Troops to Gaza in Support of Trump’s “Board of Peace”

World’s largest Muslim-majority nation first to signal commitment to international stabilisation force; plan still tentative but timed with President Prabowo’s White House visit

JAKARTA – Indonesia has signalled its readiness to deploy between 5,000 and 8,000 troops to Gaza as part of a proposed international stabilisation force tied to the second phase of US President Donald Trump’s Gaza plan—making it the first country to publicly commit personnel to the initiative.

The proposal, described by Indonesian army chief of staff General Maruli Simanjuntak as still tentative, would see an Indonesian brigade focus on humanitarian aid and reconstruction. “Nothing is set in stone yet,” Maruli said. “The numbers aren’t final.”

If realised, the deployment would mark Indonesia’s most significant military engagement in the Middle East and position the country as a leading contributor to the so-called “Board of Peace”—a Trump-backed entity meant to provide strategic oversight and coordinate international resources in post-conflict Gaza.

The announcement comes as Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto prepares to travel to the United States on February 19 for the first Board of Peace leaders’ meeting at the White House. Jakarta is also expected to pursue a trade deal with Washington during the visit.

Among Southeast Asian nations, only Indonesia and Vietnam are part of the board.

Stalled Ceasefire, Mounting Pressure

The UN Security Council authorised the creation of the Board of Peace and an associated international stabilisation force in November last year. But implementation has stalled. The ceasefire between Israel and Hamas, which began in October, has not advanced beyond its first phase, with both sides accusing each other of violations and remaining deeply divided over next-step negotiations.

Despite a relative reduction in the intensity of Israeli strikes, daily bombardments continue. UN reports indicate that over 80 per cent of Gaza’s infrastructure has been destroyed and living conditions for the enclave’s 2.3 million residents remain catastrophic.

It remains unclear how an international force would operate without a durable ceasefire or political agreement. No other country has yet formally committed troops.

With inputs from Reuters and AFP