Uganda’s parliament decided on Thursday to send troops to Gaza as part of an international force suggested by the Board of Peace during Donald Trump’s presidency, aimed at securing the region following the devastating conflict between Israel and Hamas.
This decision marks Uganda’s first public signal of its intention to participate in the International Stabilization Force (ISF) for Gaza. Morocco has also committed troops to the mission.
The reasons behind Uganda’s agreement to deploy troops in Gaza were not immediately apparent, prompting some opposition lawmakers to question the government’s motives.
“Who will fund our presence in Gaza?” asked Enos Asiimwe, a member of parliament, during the debate on the motion.
Defense Minister Kiryowa Kiwanuka, while seeking parliamentary backing, highlighted Uganda’s military experience gained from peacekeeping missions in countries like Somalia.
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The force, proposed earlier by Trump’s administration in February, is set to be led by American Major General Jasper Jeffers, who stated in May that the 20,000-strong force aims to ensure “future prosperity and enduring peace.”
Recently, Trump announced an agreement for Hamas to disarm and for Israel to withdraw its forces from Gaza.
Per this agreement, the ISF will be deployed to Gaza following a phased withdrawal of Israeli troops.
This agreement, part of a wider ceasefire deal reached last year, requires Israel to halt its military actions and for Hamas and its allied factions in Gaza to stop all militant activities.
The agreement also outlined a general framework for the decommissioning process.
Following the agreement’s release, Israel expressed “serious security concerns” and communicated these issues to the US.
Since the ceasefire deal was reached in October, Israeli attacks have resulted in 1,250 casualties, ending major hostilities in the two-year Israel-Hamas war.
