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Marrakech – Morocco on Wednesday signed an agreement formalizing its participation in the International Stabilization Force (ISF) for Gaza. The ceremony took place at the Defense Administration headquarters in Rabat, with Nickolay Mladenov, High Representative of the Board of Peace for Gaza, leading a delegation that included the ISF commander.
Foreign Minister Nasser Bourita, speaking at the signing, described the agreement as a reflection of “the commitment of His Majesty King Mohammed VI, Chairman of the Al-Quds Committee, to peace and stability in the Middle East and His constant support for the brotherly Palestinian people.”
Morocco’s contribution to the ISF, Bourita noted, falls in line with the King’s broader efforts on behalf of Palestinians. “The Royal Vision has always been consistent,” he declared, adding that it remains “oriented toward concrete solutions, with tangible and pragmatic contributions, without compromising the kingdom’s constant and principled positions.”
To back that claim, Bourita pointed to Morocco’s humanitarian track record. He recalled hundreds of tons of essential goods and medical equipment delivered to Gaza on royal instructions through “an unprecedented land corridor that Morocco was the only country to negotiate and use.”
Those efforts, he added, continue through the daily work of the Bayt Mal Al-Quds Agency (BMAQ). The agency runs programs including school construction and rehabilitation, support for East Jerusalem hospitals, scholarships for Palestinian students, care for Maqdisi orphans, and financing of income-generating activities for families in need.
Bourita reiterated Morocco’s longstanding position in favor of a two-state solution – a Palestinian state within the June 4, 1967 borders with East Jerusalem as capital, “living side by side, in peace and security, with Israel.”
What Morocco will contribute
The agreement was signed in the presence of Bourita and Abdeltif Loudyi, Minister Delegate in charge of Defense, alongside senior military officials, including the Inspector General of the Royal Armed Forces (FAR) and the Commander of the Royal Gendarmerie.
Morocco, a founding member of the Board of Peace established at a Washington summit chaired by US President Donald Trump, will deploy senior FAR officers to the ISF’s Joint Command, Royal Gendarmerie, and DGSN personnel, and a military field hospital.
The Moroccan side also cited the kingdom’s accumulated experience in UN peacekeeping operations as a foundation for its ISF role. The deal provides the legal framework governing the technical and operational aspects of the deployment.
Board of Peace and ISF officials welcomed Morocco’s decision. The North African country has been listed among ISF contributing countries since January, alongside Albania, Kazakhstan, and Kosovo. But it is expected to be the first among them to actually deploy forces in Gaza.
Officials familiar with the Board’s plans indicated that Moroccan troops are set to secure the perimeter of a humanitarian pilot zone near the flattened southern Gaza city of Rafah. No timeline has been set for when construction of that zone will begin.
A senior Arab official familiar with the matter told the Times of Israel that no major progress is expected until after the October Israeli elections, as Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s government has grown increasingly reluctant to cooperate with Gaza relief projects ahead of the vote.
Israel has also delayed signing Status of Forces Agreements with ISF contributing countries – a prerequisite for any troop deployment.
Another source put the earliest groundbreaking for the humanitarian zone in early 2027. In the meantime, small delegations from contributing countries have arrived in Israel and are operating from a base in the south.
