Indonesia Prepares 8,000 Troops for Gaza Peacekeeping Mission

Indonesia is finalizing plans to deploy 8,000 soldiers to the Gaza Strip as part of a multinational peacekeeping force. State Secretary Minister Prasetyo Hadi confirmed the preparation, stating, "The number of personnel we possibly will deploy to Gaza is around 8,000."

This initiative aligns with President Prabowo Subianto's upcoming visit to the United States, where he is scheduled to attend the inaugural Board of Peace summit on February 19 and sign a reciprocal tariff agreement with Washington. Coordinating Minister for Economic Affairs Airlangga Hartarto noted that Indonesia currently faces a 19 percent import tariff from the U.S., reduced from 32 percent in earlier negotiations.

In preparation for the peacekeeping mission, the Indonesian National Armed Forces (TNI) are assembling a contingent that includes medical and engineering units. Defense Minister Sjafrie Sjamsoeddin emphasized the mission's goal to stabilize conditions in Gaza to facilitate political negotiations.

President Prabowo has also engaged with leaders of major Islamic organizations to discuss Indonesia's involvement in the Board of Peace. Deputy Chairman of the Indonesian Ulema Council (MUI) Cholil Nafis confirmed the meeting, stating, "Yes, I have been invited to this afternoon’s discussion, which I was told will address the BoP."

These developments underscore Indonesia's commitment to playing a more active role in international peacekeeping and diplomacy.