Key Points:
- Indonesia says proposed multinational force may total around 20,000 personnel.
- Jakarta has been invited to Washington for the inaugural meeting of the US-led Board of Peace
- Indonesian officials stress that no deployment decision has been made.
- Indonesia is also seeking discussions on the reported $1 billion fee for permanent membership on the Board of Peace.
- The defence ministry rejects Israeli media claims that Indonesian troops would be limited to Rafah and Khan Younis
JAKARTA: Indonesia could contribute up to 8,000 for the proposed multinational peacekeeping force for Gaza, President Prabowo Subianto’s spokesman said on Tuesday.
A proposed multinational peacekeeping force for Gaza could comprise about 20,000 troops, spokesman Prasetyo Hadi said. However, no agreement has yet been reached on the terms of deployment or the areas of operation.
Indonesia has been invited to Washington to attend the inaugural meeting of the Board of Peace established by US President Donald Trump.
While Indonesia signaled last year its willingness to commit up to 20,000 troops, officials have said a final decision on deployment will depend on greater clarity regarding the force’s mandate and operational framework.
“The total number is approximately 20,000 (across countries) … it is not only Indonesia,” presidential spokesman Prasetyo Hadi told journalists. “We are just preparing ourselves in case an agreement is reached, and we have to send peacekeeping forces.”
“Indonesia’s plans to contribute to peace and humanitarian support in Gaza are still in the preparation and coordination stages,” spokesman Rico Ricardo Sirat said.
Presidential spokesman Prasetyo said Indonesia would hold discussions on the financial terms for a seat on US President Donald Trump’s newly established Board of Peace, for which a $1 billion figure has been cited.
Defence ministry rejects Israeli media reports
Separately, the defence ministry rejected Israeli media reports claiming that any prospective Indonesian peacekeeping deployment would be limited to Gaza’s Rafah and Khan Younis areas, reiterating that Indonesia requires a clearly defined and acceptable mandate before finalising any troop contribution.
It is pertinent to mention that since the ceasefire came into effect in early October, Israeli attacks have killed 581 Palestinians and injured 1,553 others, the Gaza media office said.
Since the war started in Gaza in October 2023, Israel has killed more than 72,000 people and wounded over 171,000.
Under the ceasefire agreement, Israel was obligated to halt military operations in the Palestinian territories.
