From the Liveblog of
Saturday, October 18, 2025
Azerbaijan prepared to contribute troops to Gaza stabilization force, officials tell ToI
Jacob Magid is The Times of Israel's US bureau chief
Azerbaijan has agreed to contribute troops to an International Stabilization Force that will help secure the Gaza Strip after the war, three government officials familiar with the matter tell The Times of Israel.
To date, Indonesia is the only country to publicly commit to contributing troops to the ISF, declaring that it would send 20,000 soldiers as part of a UN-mandated mission.
But the US has also been in talks with other countries and has privately secured a similar commitment from Azerbaijan, the three sources say.
Azerbaijan’s embassies in Washington and Tel Aviv did not respond to repeated requests for comment.
During a multilateral meeting on the UN General Assembly sidelines last month, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan told US President Donald Trump that Ankara was also prepared to send forces to Gaza, two sources familiar with the matter say.
It’s unclear whether Israel will allow the presence of Turkish forces in Gaza, though, amid the collapse of ties between the two countries since the start of the Gaza war.
The Times of Israel Community.