Azerbaijan Could Join US-Backed Gaza Security Force; UN Steps Up Aid as Blockages Continue

Azerbaijan is said to be a top choice to join the security forces planned for Gaza. Politico says that, based on a U.S. Department of Defense official, Azerbaijan, along with Indonesia and Pakistan, seems really interested in being part of this force. Talks are happening now to figure out who will be in the International Stability Forces (ISF), but no country has officially signed up yet.

The ISF is part of President Trump's Gaza peace plan. It's meant to be a temporary force to bring things under control and is key to Trump's plan to end the fighting, demilitarize Gaza, and rebuild the area. The ISF will train and help Palestinian police, working with Jordan and Egypt because they know a lot about security. The plan calls the ISF a long-term solution for keeping things safe inside Gaza. Their main goals are to keep Gaza's borders secure with Israel and Egypt and to stop weapons from getting in. The ISF is expected to take over from the Israeli army in Gaza. Setting up this force is expected to take a while, possibly several months. The U.S. has said that no American soldiers will be sent to Gaza.

This news about Azerbaijan comes after the Gaza peace talks on October 13 in Egypt. Azerbaijan and Israel get along well. In 2023, Azerbaijan sold Israel most of its oil, and Israel sells weapons to Azerbaijan. From 2016 to 2020, most of Azerbaijan's weapons came from Israel.

Humanitarian Crisis Gets Worse

Even though the ceasefire is holding, UN aid teams are trying to get more aid into Gaza. The Rafah crossing is seen as a lifeline by the UN Emergency Relief Coordinator. Still, getting aid in is tough.

UNRWA, which helps Palestinian refugees, says they have enough food outside Gaza to feed people for three months. But Israel is still stopping the aid from coming in, even with the ceasefire. An UNRWA person said they need to lead the relief effort because they have the best way to get aid to people, and there's no reason for Israel to block the aid. The need for help is still huge; most homes in Gaza have been damaged or destroyed. The UN aid office (OCHA) says that to get enough aid in, international groups need to be there, but Israel isn't giving visas to many of them.