Israel Rejects Pakistan Army Role In Gaza Stabilisation Force: ‘Not The Situation Right Now’

Last Updated:January 09, 2026, 15:49 IST

Israel’s Ambassador to India Reuven Azar said that countries generally cooperate only with partners they trust and with whom they maintain proper diplomatic relations.

A drone view shows the destruction in a residential neighbourhood, following the withdrawal of the Israeli forces from the area, amid a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas in Gaza, in Gaza City. (IMAGE: REUTERS)

Israel firmly rejected any role for the Pakistan Army in a proposed Stabilisation Force (ISF) for Gaza under US President Donald Trump’s plan, citing deep concerns over alleged links between Hamas and Pakistan-based terror groups. Israel’s Ambassador to India Reuven Azar told NDTV that Israel is “not comfortable" with Pakistani military participation in any future Gaza security arrangement and underlined that there can be no political or reconstruction process without the complete dismantling of Hamas.

“There is an effort right now to try to create a situation in which we can move forward, but for that, Hamas must be dismantled. There is no way around it," Reuven Azar said.

Pakistan’s Role In Proposed Gaza Force

Reuven Azar’s remarks come amid reports that the United States approached several countries, including Pakistan, to contribute troops to a proposed stabilisation and reconstruction force in Gaza. Reacting to those reports, the ambassador said many countries have already expressed reluctance to participate because they do not want to fight Hamas, rendering the concept of a stabilisation force ineffective under current conditions.

When asked directly whether Israel would be comfortable with the Pakistan Army’s involvement in Gaza, Reuven Azar replied firmly, “No." He added that countries generally cooperate only with partners they trust and with whom they maintain proper diplomatic relations.

“This is not the situation right now," he said, signalling Israel’s clear opposition to Pakistan’s inclusion in any Gaza force.

‘Either Hamas Dismantles, Or Nothing Moves Forward’

Reuven Azar said Israel’s immediate priorities remain the retrieval of all hostages, including the remains of those killed, and the destruction of Hamas’s military and political infrastructure. Accusing Hamas and countries sympathetic to it of attempting to bypass these core demands, he warned that diplomacy cannot move ahead unless Hamas is eliminated.

“Either Hamas dismantles, or it will be impossible to implement the second phase of any plan," he said, adding that if international pressure fails, Israel would have no option but to act unilaterally.

India’s Security And Hamas Ban

Referring to India’s own security concerns linked to Pakistan-based terror groups, Reuven Azar said the situation is being monitored closely and expressed confidence that Indian authorities are taking the threat seriously. On whether Hamas should be formally banned by India, the ambassador said there is a “clear threat" but stressed that the decision rests entirely with Indian authorities.

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