Indonesia first to commit troops to Gaza

K PRAGALATH

Indonesia has become the first nation that committed its troops to Gaza.

It would be sending 8,000 of its soldiers to Gaza in support of US President Donald Trump’s Board of Peace.

“(We are deploying) a brigade, likely around 5,000 to 8,000 (personnel). But nothing is set in stone yet. So, the numbers aren’t final,”said Indonesia’s army chief of staff General Maruli Simanjuntak.

He said that they would be focused on humanitarian and reconstruction needs.

The decision was made after Indonesian President Prabowo Subiantowas invited to attend a Board of Peace meeting on 19 Feb.

In November, Indonesia screened its troops for a possible peacekeeping deployment to Gaza via UN Security Council.

The UN back then had mandated the Gaza International Stabilisation Force.

Prabowo was willing to commit 20,000 peacekeepers in September 2025.

ALSO READ: 327 gunned down by the police, no police personnel charged