Bangladesh Signals Willingness to Join International Stabilization Force in Gaza

Bangladesh has told the United States it is interested in joining an international stabilization force that could be deployed in Gaza, as diplomatic efforts continue to prevent the collapse of a fragile ceasefire in the devastated Palestinian territory.

The Bangladeshi government said National Security Adviser Khalilur Rahman conveyed the position during meetings in Washington with US officials Allison Hooker and Paul Kapur. According to an official statement, Rahman expressed Bangladesh’s “interest in principle” in taking part in the proposed force. No details were provided about the scale, mandate, or nature of Bangladesh’s potential contribution. The US State Department offered no immediate public response.

The move follows a United Nations Security Council resolution adopted in mid-November authorizing a Board of Peace, working with participating countries, to establish a temporary International Stabilization Force in Gaza. The force is intended to support security and humanitarian conditions in areas affected by the conflict after a ceasefire began in October.

That truce, however, remains fragile and largely limited to its initial phase. Negotiations on subsequent steps have stalled, with both Israel and Hamas accusing each other of breaches. Since the ceasefire took effect, more than 400 Palestinians and three Israeli soldiers have reportedly been killed, underscoring how easily violence continues to erupt.

Conditions on the ground in Gaza remain severe. Nearly all of the territory’s more than two million residents are living in makeshift shelters or damaged buildings across a narrow stretch of land where Israeli forces have pulled back and Hamas has reasserted control. Humanitarian agencies warn that shortages of food, clean water and medical supplies persist, while reconstruction remains distant.

The broader conflict has left deep divisions over responsibility and accountability. Israel’s military campaign in Gaza, launched after a Hamas attack in 2023 that killed about 1,200 people and saw more than 250 taken hostage, has resulted in tens of thousands of Palestinian deaths, according to health authorities in Gaza. The offensive has also triggered a hunger crisis and displaced the territory’s entire population. A number of rights experts, legal scholars and a UN inquiry have said the campaign amounts to genocide, an allegationd Israel strongly rejects, saying it has acted in self-defense.

Bangladesh has long supported Palestinian rights in international forums and has maintained a consistent diplomatic stance calling for a just resolution to the conflict. Its expression of interest in the stabilization force signals a willingness to take a more direct role in post-ceasefire security and humanitarian efforts, should the mission move ahead.

Analysts say any international force would face significant challenges, including securing acceptance from local parties, ensuring the safety of personnel, and defining clear rules of engagement. With negotiations over the ceasefire’s next phase stalled, the timeline for deployment remains uncertain.

For now, Bangladesh’s statement adds another voice to the growing list of countries weighing participation in a mission that many see as critical to preventing Gaza from sliding back into full-scale war.