According to two U.S. and two Israeli officials, the Trump administration intends to appoint a U.S. two-star general to lead the International Stabilization Forces (ISF) in Gaza.
The move would expand America’s role in securing and rebuilding a territory that is becoming Washington’s largest political, civil and military undertaking in the Middle East in more than two decades. The United States has already established a joint civilian-military headquarters in Israel to monitor the ceasefire and coordinate humanitarian aid. Washington is leading work on Gaza’s reconstruction plan. Trump is expected to chair the Gaza Peace Council, with his senior advisers joining the international executive body. Now the United States plans to head the structure responsible for the enclave’s security. The White House stresses, however, that no American troops will be deployed in Gaza.
The ceasefire in Gaza remains the signature foreign-policy achievement of Trump’s second term, yet it is exceedingly fragile, and his administration is pushing to move to the agreement’s second phase to prevent the war from reigniting. That phase envisions a further withdrawal of IDF forces, the deployment of the ISF and the launch of a new governance system, including a Peace Council chaired by Trump. The UN Security Council has already endorsed both the stabilization forces and the council. On Wednesday Trump told reporters he plans to announce the creation of the Gaza Peace Council in early 2026.
According to two Israeli officials, U.S. Ambassador to the UN Mike Waltz, who visited Israel this week, told Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and other senior officials that the Trump administration intends to lead the ISF and appoint a U.S. two-star general as its commander. One of the officials noted: «Waltz even said he personally knows the general and stressed that he is a very serious figure». The Israeli officials added that Waltz assured them the presence of an American general at the helm of the ISF should give Israel confidence that the force will operate according to proper standards. Two U.S. officials confirmed the plan to appoint a U.S. representative as ISF commander. Commenting on discussions about the composition of the ISF, the Peace Council and the technocratic Palestinian government, a White House official said that «no final decisions have been made or communicated».
U.S. officials say they are finalizing the formation of both the ISF and Gaza’s new governance structure. According to the sources, Washington has offered former UN Middle East envoy Nickolay Mladenov the role of the Peace Council’s on-the-ground representative, working with the future Palestinian technocratic government. The Trump administration is briefing Western countries confidentially on the work of the Peace Council and the ISF and is inviting them to join. Two well-informed sources said Germany and Italy have already received invitations. Indonesia, Azerbaijan, Turkey and Egypt had earlier signaled willingness to contribute troops to the ISF, though it is unclear whether those commitments still stand. It is also uncertain whether Western countries will agree to send forces.
The central obstacle is that many governments want clarity on whether Hamas will voluntarily disarm and what the rules of engagement will be for the new mission. A European diplomat said the United States has recently conveyed to its European partners that the plan envisions deploying the ISF once the Peace Council is established, but without fixed timelines. During a briefing in Tel Aviv, U.S. officials stressed to European diplomats that unless their countries send troops to the ISF or back those willing to do so, the Israeli military will not withdraw from the areas of Gaza it currently holds. As the European diplomat put it: «The message was this: if you are not prepared to go into Gaza, do not complain that the IDF stays».