EU eyes training 3,000 police officers in Gaza — EU official

The European Union wants to train up to 3,000 Palestinian police officers in the Gaza Strip under a program similar to one it already runs in the West Bank, an EU official says.

There will be a “need to stabilize Gaza with an important police force” if the current ceasefire endures, says the official, who was granted anonymity to discuss the sensitive matter.

The UN Security Council voted Monday in favor of a US-drafted resolution bolstering US President Donald Trump’s plan for the Gaza Strip — which has allowed a fragile ceasefire to hold between Israel and Hamas since October 10.

The peace plan notably authorizes the creation of an international force that would work with Israel and Egypt and newly trained Palestinian police to help secure border areas and demilitarize Gaza.

The EU has struggled to exert influence during the two-year war in Gaza due to splits within the bloc between countries supporting Israel and those closer to the Palestinians.

Keen to reclaim a role in the region, the EU will propose training Palestinian police officers — who are not affiliated with Gaza’s Hamas rulers — as part of efforts to restore long-term security in the territory.

Around 7,000 police in Gaza are still on the payroll of the Palestinian Authority, which governs the West Bank, the official says. Many have retired or are unable to work, but about 3,000 could be trained, he adds.

The training would take place outside of the Gaza Strip, he says.

The EU has financed a police training mission in the West Bank since 2006, with a budget of around 13 million euros ($15 million).