US seeks Ethiopian troops for Gaza

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio has asked Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed Ali to consider contributing troops to a proposed international security force for Gaza, The Times of Israel reported, citing two Western diplomats familiar with the matter.

The request was made earlier this week as Washington seeks to build support for a fledgling multinational force outlined in US President Donald Trump’s 20-point plan for postwar Gaza, according to the report.

The plan envisions an international security presence overseeing a transitional period focused on reconstruction and economic recovery in the Palestinian territory, which has been devastated by more than two years of war. However, many countries remain reluctant to join such a mission, reflecting widespread concerns over the political, legal, and security risks of deploying troops to Gaza.

Trump’s peace plan, revealed in September 2025, was crafted to bring an end to the fighting and lay the groundwork for rebuilding Gaza. It was formally endorsed by the United Nations Security Council, lending it international legitimacy. Unlike earlier initiatives, the proposal was shaped not only by the United States and Israel but also by regional actors such as Egypt, Qatar, and Turkey, making it a broader diplomatic effort.

The plan unfolded in two main stages. The first called for an immediate halt to hostilities, the return of Israeli hostages, and the release of Palestinian prisoners. Israel repositioned its forces, while Hamas halted rocket attacks. This phase was largely implemented, with most hostages returned and a fragile ceasefire established.

The second stage is more ambitious. Hamas is expected to relinquish its weapons and step aside from governing Gaza, while Israel is to carry out further troop withdrawals. Oversight of reconstruction and governance would be handled by a transitional committee and an international Gaza Peace Board.

Despite being praised by some as a step toward ending the conflict, the plan faces serious obstacles. Hamas’s willingness to disarm remains uncertain, and Israel has continued to carry out air strikes that critics say violate the terms of the agreement. Questions also persist over who would ultimately govern Gaza and how reconstruction funds would be managed.

At the same time, there has been growing reporting linking Israel’s postwar plans to Africa, particularly the Horn of Africa. Earlier this year, reports emerged of an Israeli proposal to relocate Palestinians from Gaza to African countries under what was described as a “voluntary migration” initiative. The idea suggested that displaced Gazans could be resettled in countries such as Sudan, Somalia, and Somaliland.

The proposal drew swift criticism, with many observers arguing that the scale of destruction in Gaza leaves residents with little genuine choice, rendering the concept of “voluntary” migration questionable. Sudan reportedly rejected overtures from US officials, while authorities in Somalia and Somaliland denied any involvement in such discussions. Congo was also cited, though no concrete agreements were reached.

Internationally, critics, human rights groups, and Palestinian representatives condemned the proposal as potentially unlawful, arguing that relocating people from Gaza under current conditions would amount to forced displacement in violation of international humanitarian law. Many described the idea as a form of ethnic cleansing aimed at depopulating Gaza rather than rebuilding it, dismissing claims that the initiative was humanitarian in nature.

Most of the countries mentioned have since rejected the proposal outright. Nevertheless, recent reporting by The Times of Israel, though independently unverified, has once again drawn attention to Africa’s emerging role in discussions surrounding the Gaza war.

Serious questions also remain about Ethiopia’s capacity to contribute troops to an international force, given that the country has only recently emerged from one of the continent’s deadliest conflicts and continues to face mounting internal political and security challenges. These factors raise further doubts about the feasibility of such plan.