Indonesia has trained as many as 20,000 troops for potential deployment to Gaza as part of a U.S.-backed international peacekeeping force, Defense Minister Sjafrie Sjamsoeddin said Friday, highlighting both Jakarta’s growing engagement in postwar planning and the persistent uncertainty surrounding the mission.

Speaking to reporters during a visit by Jordan’s King Abdullah II, Sjamsoeddin said the troops had been prepared specifically for health and construction roles in the war-torn enclave. But he stressed that Indonesia is still awaiting clarity from Washington and the United Nations on the timeline, mandate and scope of any mission.

“We’ve prepared a maximum of 20,000 troops, but the specifications will revolve around health and construction,” he said. “We are waiting for further decisions on Gaza peace action.”

Indonesia — the world’s most populous Muslim-majority nation — is among several countries the United States has approached about joining an International Stabilization Force (ISF) in Gaza, alongside Egypt, Qatar and Azerbaijan. A draft mandate circulated by Washington and reported by Reuters last week would authorize the ISF to “use all necessary measures” to demilitarize Gaza, secure its borders, protect civilians and aid convoys, and reinforce a newly trained Palestinian police force.

The plan is tied to President Donald Trump’s comprehensive Gaza ceasefire proposal, crafted around an Israeli withdrawal and the introduction of a multinational force to stabilize the Strip. The U.S. has incorporated the ISF blueprint into a draft U.N. Security Council resolution now under discussion.

Indonesia says it will not participate without such a resolution. Earlier this month, Foreign Minister Sugiono reiterated that Jakarta requires the U.N. to formally enshrine the ISF before committing troops.

President Prabowo Subianto has signaled openness to contributing forces if the U.N. signs off. In a headline-grabbing speech at the U.N. General Assembly in September, Prabowo said Indonesia would be willing to send at least 20,000 troops and made a rare nod to Israel’s security needs — an unusual gesture for a country without diplomatic ties to Jerusalem. He closed his remarks with “shalom,” drawing notice in Israel and across Southeast Asia.

The Indonesian leader had also been widely reported to be exploring an unprecedented visit to Israel following his participation in the Sharm El Sheikh Peace Conference on October 13, just days after Hamas released the last 20 surviving hostages abducted during its October 7, 2023 attacks. But Jakarta later publicly denied the reports.

A source familiar with the matter told The Times of Israel that Prabowo initially signaled willingness to make the trip but backed off amid concerns over domestic political backlash. The government’s emphatic denials were aimed at “saving face,” the source said.

Despite the absence of formal ties, Indonesia has quietly coordinated with Israel in the past on humanitarian air drops into Gaza and was reported last year to be considering normalization as it eyed entry into the OECD.

For now, Jakarta’s role in Gaza remains fluid. Sjamsoeddin said Friday that deployment decisions ultimately rest with Prabowo and will depend on the final shape of Trump’s ceasefire plan and the Security Council’s deliberations.

“We’re waiting for the possibilities of a role Indonesia can take in peace efforts,” he said.

Israel currently controls roughly half of Gaza following an initial October 10 withdrawal under the hostage-ceasefire deal, while Hamas has been reasserting authority along parts of the ceasefire line. Whether an international force can bridge that divide — and whether Indonesia will be part of it — remains an open question.

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