Kosovo has approved the deployment of troops to Gaza as part of a U.S.-backed international security force, its government announced on Monday. This marks a significant step in multinational efforts to stabilize the territory following last year’s ceasefire between Israel and Hamas.
The decision was confirmed during a televised ministerial meeting in Pristina, where officials said the Defence Ministry agreed to send forces after receiving an invitation from the United States in December. The number of troops to be deployed was not disclosed.
Prime Minister Albin Kurti said Kosovo was prepared to contribute to the mission, citing the country’s own experience with international peacekeeping forces. “We are ready to participate and help the people of Gaza, because we ourselves have been and are beneficiaries of international forces since 1999,” he told ministers.
Kosovo joins several nations that have committed personnel to what is known as the International Stabilization Force. Participating countries include Indonesia, Morocco, Kazakhstan and Albania. The force is intended to maintain peace and support a transitional administration in Gaza under U.S. President Donald Trump’s initiative, referred to as the “Board of Peace.”
The deployment comes amid ongoing violence in Gaza despite a ceasefire that began in November. Local health officials report that more than 680 Palestinians have been killed since the truce took effect. The overall death toll has surpassed 72,000 since the war began in October 2023.
