In a candid interview with the BBC, Jordan’s King Abdullah has warned that no country would agree to send troops to enforce peace in Gaza, saying that such a mission would be far too risky
and politically sensitive.
Under former U.S. President Donald Trump’s 20-point ceasefire plan, Arab states and international partners would send stabilization forces to Gaza. These troops would train and support Palestinian police, in coordination with Jordan and Egypt, while Hamas would disarm and relinquish control of the territory.
But King Abdullah made it clear that the distinction between peacekeeping and peace enforcement is crucial.
“If it’s peacekeeping, where we’re helping Palestinian police maintain order, Jordan and Egypt can help train them — that’s doable,” he said. “But if it’s peace enforcing, meaning we’re patrolling Gaza with weapons, no country will want to take that on.”
He emphasized that Jordan and Egypt are willing to train Palestinian security forces, but any real progress would take time.
“We’re happy to help, but we’re not going to send troops into Gaza,” he added, pointing to Jordan’s deep political and demographic ties to the Palestinian issue.
More than half of Jordan’s population is of Palestinian descent, and the country hosts over 2.3 million Palestinian refugees — the largest number in the region.
A humanitarian crisis Jordan can’t ignore
Jordan has played a key humanitarian role during the war, helping deliver aid and evacuate wounded children from Gaza. This year alone, 253 sick and injured children — including Habiba, a young girl who lost both arms and a leg — have been brought to Jordan for treatment.
King Abdullah described his own experience flying over Gaza to drop aid.
“Looking out the back of the aircraft, the devastation was shocking,” he said. “It’s hard to believe that the international community is allowing this to continue.”
The King personally appealed to President Trump to support the evacuation of 2,000 critically ill children. Since then, hundreds have reached safety, though more than 15,000 Gazans — including about 3,000 children — are still waiting for evacuation approval, according to the World Health Organization.
Israel insists on extensive security checks for anyone leaving Gaza, a process the WHO calls “excruciatingly slow.” Israeli officials say the measures are necessary but stress they are committed to facilitating humanitarian aid and medical evacuations.
A fragile peace and a heavy hope
The ceasefire deal brokered under Trump’s plan led to the release of 20 Israeli hostages and 250 Palestinian prisoners, alongside 1,700 detainees from Gaza. But tensions remain sky-high.
Israel continues to accuse Hamas — recognized as a terrorist organization by the U.S., U.K., and EU — of prolonging the war by refusing to release hostages and using civilians as human shields. The Hamas-run health ministry says over 68,000 people have been killed in Gaza since Israel’s invasion. Photo by Chatham House, Wikimedia commons.
