Indonesia prepares up to 8,000 troops for Gaza peacekeeping mission
Army Chief of Staff Maruli Simanjuntak emphasized that the deployment remains under planning stages, with final troop numbers and timing to be coordinated through Indonesia’s military chain of command
Jakarta is taking concrete steps to project itself as a key player in international security, with Indonesia preparing 8,000 troops for a potential peacekeeping mission in Gaza.
The plan, which focuses on engineering and medical units, represents the most significant operational move by the Indonesian military in support of Middle East stabilization.
Army Chief of Staff Maruli Simanjuntak emphasized that the deployment remains under planning stages, with final troop numbers and timing to be coordinated through Indonesia’s military chain of command.
The announcement follows a high-level meeting between President Prabowo Subianto and top military and police leaders in Jakarta.
President Prabowo has long signaled Indonesia’s intention to take a larger role on the global stage. Speaking at the UN General Assembly last September, he declared that Indonesia could deploy “20,000 or even more” troops to secure peace in Gaza or other unstable regions. He has also been actively participating in multilateral efforts, including a summit in Egypt on Gaza’s future with US President Donald Trump and Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah el-Sisi.
Jakarta’s ambitions extend beyond troop deployments. Indonesia recently joined the Board of Peace, an initiative led by the US, reinforcing its commitment to conflict resolution. Prabowo has also expressed willingness to consider formal diplomatic ties with Israel, contingent on recognition of Palestinian statehood, further positioning the nation as a potential mediator in the longstanding Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
For Indonesia, the proposed Gaza mission is more than a military operation, it is a statement of intent. As the world’s largest Muslim-majority country, the nation seeks to assert influence in global peacekeeping and humanitarian efforts, while reinforcing its diplomatic relevance in high-stakes international crises.
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