Indonesia is gearing up for a move no other country has made yet: sending troops to Gaza.
Up to 8,000 soldiers are being trained for deployment as part of phase two of the US-brokered ceasefire. Raising eyebrows, and plenty of questions.
So what’s Jakarta planning? According to army chief General Maruli Simanjuntak, the troops will focus on medical care and engineering, not combat.
Training is already under way. Indonesia has also joined President Donald Trump’s newly announced “Board of Peace,” which carries a UN Security Council mandate to form an International Stabilization Force.
It is tasked with border security, reconstruction support, and—most controversially—the demilitarisation of Gaza, including disarming Hamas.
President Prabowo Subianto’s decision hasn’t gone down smoothly at home.
Indonesia’s Gaza Role
Many Islamic groups have criticised Indonesia’s alignment with a US-led initiative, given public anger over Gaza’s devastation.
Prabowo’s response?As the world’s largest Muslim-majority country, Indonesia has a responsibility to help stabilise Gaza.
And push toward a two-state solution.
Israeli media report land in southern Gaza has already been earmarked for Indonesian barracks.
Other Muslim countries, like Turkey and Pakistan, are considering peacekeeping roles—but want no part in disarmament.
And here’s the catch: with Hamas refusing to disarm and Israel still occupying parts of Gaza, peace remains fragile.
Which begs the question—can you keep the peace when peace hasn’t quite arrived yet?
