By The South Asia Times

JAKARTA – Indonesia has announced plans to deploy peacekeeping forces to Gaza as part of the proposed International Stabilization Force (ISF), but officials remain divided on the size of the contingent while firmly ruling out any role in disarming Hamas or other Palestinian militant groups, according to Jakarta Globe.

Conflicting signals emerged from senior Indonesian officials this week, with estimates ranging from as few as 600 to as many as 8,000 troops.

Army Chief of Staff General Maruli Simanjuntak placed the figure between 5,000 and 8,000, while State Secretary Prasetyo Hadi separately told reporters the number could "likely reach 8,000."

In contrast, Deputy Defense Minister Donny Ermawan Taufanto offered a much smaller estimate of approximately 600 peacekeepers following a meeting with lawmakers.

Deputy Commander of the National Armed Forces Tandyo Budi Revita acknowledged that no final decision had been reached, stating that Indonesia would determine the scale of its deployment by the end of this month. President Prabowo Subianto is expected to sign a formal document authorizing the mission around that time.

The uncertainty follows unconfirmed reports from Israeli public broadcaster Kan, which claimed Jakarta would be the first contributor to deploy peacekeepers to the war-devastated enclave, with a contingent of "several thousand" personnel expected in the coming weeks.

Indonesia's Foreign Ministry spokesperson, Vahd Nabyl A Mulachela, declined to verify the Israeli media reports, stating there was "no official information yet."

While troop numbers remain unclear, Indonesia has drawn a firm red line regarding its mandate. Nabyl explicitly stated that Indonesia's participation "will be focused on the humanitarian aspect" and that Indonesian forces "will not take part in any disarmament process" --a clear reference to the Palestinian group Hamas.

The position aligns Indonesia with Pakistan and several other Muslim-majority nations that have insisted any peacekeeping force must have a strictly humanitarian and reconstruction mandate, free from any role in disarming Palestinian factions.

The ISF initiative was proposed by US President Donald Trump as part of a 20-point peace plan. According to the proposal, the force would train vetted Palestinian police personnel, collaborate with Israel and Egypt to secure border areas, prevent munitions smuggling into Gaza, and facilitate the flow of reconstruction goods into the territory.

Foreign Minister Sugiono has emphasized that Jakarta views its potential ISF contribution as a "temporary instrument" rather than a long-term solution. He reaffirmed that Indonesia remains committed to the two-state solution as the ultimate objective -- establishing an independent Palestinian state alongside Israel.

The first meeting of the Gaza Peace Council is scheduled for February 19 in Washington, with President Prabowo expected to attend. A formal announcement on the size, mandate, and timeline of Indonesia's deployment is anticipated around that time.