Israel OKs first 250 foreign troops for Gaza as U.S. builds up multinational force; Jerusalem wants Turkey kept out

Israel has authorized the United States to deploy an initial multinational force of about 250 foreign troops in Gaza, Israeli security officials told the Walla news site on Monday, according to The Jerusalem Post.

Foreign military officers escorted by U.S. troops have been seen near the Gaza border over the past two weeks as preparations move ahead to send the force deeper into the Strip. Indonesia, Morocco, Kazakhstan, Kosovo, Uganda and Albania have said they are willing to take part. Kazakhstan has offered medical and logistics help, and Kosovo has offered security and policing support.

One thing holding up the force, according to the report, is pressure from Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Washington to let Turkey join. Israeli officials and the defense establishment strongly oppose that, pointing to Erdogan's statements and to Turkey hosting Hamas's headquarters. Israeli assessments say Hamas's Turkey-based leadership directed an attack near Hebron more than two weeks ago in which two IDF soldiers were killed.

Israeli defense officials are also worried about how fast the force could grow. "It is not unrealistic that the Gaza Division and Southern Command could wake up one day and discover that there is a foreign multinational force with more soldiers than the number of troops in the Gaza Division," one security official said.

Meanwhile the U.S. military keeps moving trucks, armored troop carriers, medical evacuation vehicles and machine-gun-mounted armored vehicles to a former IDF base near the border, now guarded around the clock by armed U.S. troops. Engineering work has also begun on the planned "terror-free Emirati city" on part of Rafah's ruins, which the initial force is expected to secure. Only a limited number of Palestinians would be admitted at first, after strict Israeli security screening, as a pilot. No timetable has been set.

Israel's leadership still opposes any rebuilding in Gaza before Hamas is disarmed and control is handed to a third party.