Uganda and Burundi military officials visit Israel to discuss Gaza troop deployment

Military officials from Uganda and Burundi visited Israel and Rafah in August 2026 to discuss deploying troops to Gaza under the U.S.-backed Board of Peace initiative. Uganda has committed 1,200 troops to the planned 20,000-strong International Stabilization Force, while Burundi is actively considering joining. The force, led by U.S. Major General Jasper Jeffers, aims to secure aid and monitor a fragile ceasefire, though progress remains stalled by political disagreements between Israel and Hamas.

Ugandan military Gaza deployment

• ▪A Ugandan military officer stated that troops are currently being selected for the upcoming deployment to Gaza.
• ▪Uganda has committed around 1,200 personnel to the International Stabilization Force for Gaza.
• ▪Uganda is finalizing details of its participation in the Gaza international security force after its parliament approved the troop contribution in August 2026.

Burundian delegation Israel visit

• ▪Military officials from Burundi and Uganda visited Israel and the southern Gazan city of Rafah in August 2026 to discuss deploying troops to Gaza.
• ▪A Burundian military delegation of senior officers visited Israel to conduct a pre-deployment site survey and expressed intent to join the Gaza security force.

International Stabilization Force composition

• ▪The planned International Stabilization Force for Gaza is designed to be a 20,000-strong force led by U.S. Major General Jasper Jeffers.
• ▪Uganda and Burundi have extensive peacekeeping experience from long-term deployments in Somalia resisting the al-Qaida-linked extremist group al-Shabab.
• ▪Indonesia put its plans to prepare and send 8,000 troops to the Gaza stabilization force on hold after the United States and Israel attacked Iran.
• ▪Morocco has committed up to 500 personnel, while Kosovo, Kazakhstan, and Albania have committed a combined total of around 80 personnel to the Gaza force.

Board of Peace ceasefire framework

• ▪The Trump administration notified Congress in July 2026 that it is sending more than $206 million to fund the proposed Gaza peacekeeping force.
• ▪The Board of Peace ceasefire framework announced in July 2026 requires Hamas to disarm and Israel to withdraw its forces from Gaza.
• ▪Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu rejected the Board of Peace deal, stating Israel will not withdraw from the roughly 60 percent of Gaza it controls until Hamas is completely disarmed.

ISF peacekeeping mission objectives

• ▪The mandate of the International Stabilization Force includes training Palestinian police alongside monitoring the ceasefire and securing aid.
• ▪The International Stabilization Force would deploy to areas of Gaza administered by an incoming technocratic committee to monitor the ceasefire and secure aid delivery.

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