ISLAMABAD: Pakistan has strongly dismissed the false and misleading reports circulated by Indian media outlets, which claimed that Pakistan was set to deploy 20,000 troops to join a Gaza peacekeeping force under an agreement between US and Israeli intelligence agencies.
An Indian publication, Firstpost, alleged that Pakistan had signed a deal to send thousands of soldiers as part of an international stabilization mission in the Palestinian territory, a plan reportedly initiated by US President Donald Trump.In response, the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting labeled the report as “completely unfounded,” emphasizing that no meetings, agreements, or arrangements of this nature have taken place between the Pakistani military, the CIA, or Israel’s Mossad. Pakistan, which does not recognize Israel, has consistently upheld a firm stance supporting Palestinian self-determination, the ministry reiterated.
The statement further clarified that neither the Foreign Office nor the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) has supported or announced any Pakistani involvement in Gaza. The ministry also pointed out that the Indian media outlet Firstpost relied on unverified information from CNN-News 18, which has a history of publishing questionable reports.The idea of deploying an international peacekeeping force in Gaza was part of US efforts to help maintain a fragile ceasefire that recently commenced, ending two years of conflict between Israel and Hamas.
Meanwhile, Israel has rejected the presence of Turkish troops in Gaza under the US-led initiative, with Foreign Minister Gideon Saar asserting that Israel has not relinquished its right to self-defense. This statement followed Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s remarks indicating that Israel will determine which foreign forces, if any, will be permitted in Gaza.
It remains uncertain whether Arab nations or other countries will be willing to contribute troops to the multinational force. Although the US has ruled out deploying American soldiers to Gaza, it has been engaging with nations like Indonesia, the United Arab Emirates, Egypt, Qatar, Turkey, and Azerbaijan to seek contributions to the proposed international peacekeeping effort.
