Bangladesh wants to join international forces in Gaza

(Patria) - Bangladesh announced on Saturday that it had informed the United States of its desire to join international stabilization forces to be deployed in Gaza, Reuters reported.

Bangladesh stated that its National Security Advisor, Khalilur Rahman, met with US diplomats Allison Hooker and Paul Kapur in Washington.

Rahman "expressed Bangladesh's principled interest in being part of international stabilization forces to be deployed in Gaza," the Bangladeshi government statement added. The scope or nature of the proposed participation was not mentioned. The State Department had no immediate comment.

A United Nations Security Council resolution, adopted in mid-November, authorized
a so-called Peace Committee and countries working with it to establish temporary International Stabilization Forces in Gaza, where a ceasefire began in October.

The ceasefire has not progressed beyond its first phase, and little progress has been made on subsequent steps.

More than 400 Palestinians and three Israeli soldiers have been reported killed since the ceasefire came into effect, and almost all of Gaza's over two million residents are living in makeshift homes or damaged buildings in the part of the territory where Israeli troops withdrew and Hamas re-established control.

Both Israel and Hamas remain far apart on the more serious steps envisioned for the next phase of the ceasefire and accuse each other of violations.

Israel's military offensive in Gaza since the end of 2023 has killed tens of thousands of people, caused a famine crisis, and internally displaced the entire population of Gaza.

Numerous human rights experts, academics, and a UN investigation say it constitutes genocide.
Israel has called its actions self-defense following the 2023 Hamas attack in which 1,200 people were killed and over 250 taken hostage.