Baku is considering U.S. proposal to join Gaza stabilization mission

Azerbaijan is reviewing a U.S. proposal to join an international stabilization force that would be deployed to the Gaza Strip after the end of hostilities, Axios reported on Wednesday.

According to sources, Baku has not yet made a final decision. Azerbaijani officials have stressed that participation would only be possible if a UN Security Council resolution grants the mission international legitimacy.

Washington is holding closed-door talks with several countries, including Azerbaijan, Egypt, Indonesia and Turkey, to establish a multinational force that would be deployed along Gaza’s borders with Egypt and Israel. The U.S.-led initiative envisions providing security, delivering humanitarian aid and preventing renewed conflict. While the U.S. would coordinate the mission, it would not contribute its own troops.

The proposed force would also include Palestinian police units. U.S. officials believe countries like Turkey, Egypt and Qatar could influence Hamas to lay down arms, but Israel remains skeptical of the plan, particularly due to Turkey’s potential involvement.

Azerbaijan is reportedly coordinating with the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) and the Arab League, emphasizing that Arab countries should define Gaza’s postwar future.