ERBIL, Kurdistan Region of Iraq – US Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Friday stated the international stabilization force in the works for deployment in Gaza must be composed of countries that Israel and the US are “comfortable” with.

Rubio arrived in Israel on Thursday evening, on a visit aimed at talks regarding the implementation of US President Donald Trump’s peace plan in Gaza.

In a security briefing on Friday, Rubio highlighted the process of forming an “international stabilization force” in Gaza, which is tasked with maintaining security in the area while Israeli soldiers withdraw, in accordance with the peace deal.

When asked regarding the countries set to participate in the formation of the stabilization forces, the secretary asserted that “as you put together this force, it will have to be people that… our country [and] Israel [are] comfortable with.”

He noted that the forces will be made up of “nation states that are offering to provide personnel and resources,” adding that many countries have already shown interest, though not disclosing the prospective participants.

Among the countries that have expressed willingness to join the force are Indonesia, the United Arab Emirates, Egypt, Qatar, and Azerbaijan, a US advisor told Reuters on the condition of anonymity.

Creating a US-backed stabilization force was one of the cornerstones of Trump’s 20-point peace plan, with the relevant point asserting that "The United States will work with Arab and international partners to develop a temporary International Stabilization Force (ISF) to immediately deploy in Gaza. The ISF will train and provide support to vetted Palestinian police forces in Gaza, and will consult with Jordan and Egypt who have extensive experience in this field."

The United States had previously decided to provide over 200 personnel to support the stabilization force; however, it noted that they would not enter the Gaza Strip.

Trump’s ceasefire agreement was signed on October 10, ending two years of war between the two sides. Also, a guarantee the ceasefire was signed by world leaders at a summit in Egypt's Sharm el-Sheikh.

The war—triggered by Hamas’ October 7, 2023 attack on Israel—has killed over 68,000 people, according to the Gazan health ministry. Around half of the deceased are believed to be women and children.

According to an AFP tally, Hamas’ October 7 attacks killed 1,221 people, most of whom were civilians.