‘Very Grateful To Pakistan’: US On Pakistan’s Offer To Send Troops To Gaza For Peacekeeping Force

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio has said the United States is grateful to Pakistan for offering to consider participation in a proposed international stabilisation force for Gaza, while stressing that no formal commitments have been requested or secured so far.

Responding to questions on whether Washington had received Pakistan’s consent to deploy troops for peacebuilding in Gaza, Rubio said, “We’re very grateful to Pakistan for their offer to be a part of it or at least their offer to consider being a part of it.”

#WATCH | When asked if the US has received consent from Pakistan that they will be sending their troops to Gaza for peacebuilding, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio says, “…we’re very grateful to Pakistan for their offer to be a part

of it, or at least their offer to consider… pic.twitter.com/PUb14owLSR

— ANI (@ANI) December 19, 2025

He added that the US remains confident of broader international support, noting that “a number of nation-states acceptable to all sides in this conflict” have expressed willingness to contribute to a stabilisation force.

Rubio made the remarks during an extended end-of-year news conference at the State Department, where he acknowledged the political and logistical hurdles facing the Trump administration in advancing its Israel-Hamas peace efforts, according to the Associated Press.

Pakistan draws red lines

Rubio’s comments come amid reports that Washington has been pressing Islamabad to contribute troops. A Reuters report earlier this week said Pakistan’s army chief Asim Munir is facing an early test of his expanded authority as the US seeks Pakistan’s participation in the proposed mission.

However, Pakistan has publicly underlined its limits. Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar said last month that while Pakistan could consider peacekeeping roles, disarming Hamas “is not our job.” Reuters noted that several countries remain cautious about joining the force, particularly if the mandate includes disarming Hamas, citing concerns over deeper military entanglement and potential domestic backlash.

Munir is expected to travel to Washington in the coming weeks for a possible meeting with Donald Trump, his third engagement with Trump in six months, with discussions likely to include the Gaza stabilisation plan, according to sources cited by Reuters.

‘Board of Peace’ plan

Progress on Trump’s Gaza ceasefire proposal has been slow since it was unveiled in October. US officials are now pushing to operationalise the plan through the creation of a “Board of Peace” that would oversee Gaza following two years of war, AP reported.

While expressing cautious optimism, Rubio said major challenges remain. “I think we owe them a few more answers before we get there,” he said, referring to final decisions on troop contributions.

Under the proposal, once the Board of Peace and a Palestinian technocratic governing body are in place, the US would finalise details of the stabilisation force — including funding, rules of engagement and its role in demilitarisation, according to AP.

Diplomatic push in Miami

Rubio’s remarks coincided with high-level discussions on Gaza and the Russia-Ukraine war reportedly being held in Miami on Friday and Saturday. A White House official told AP that senior envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner are meeting Egyptian, Turkish and Qatari officials to explore next steps in Trump’s plan to end the Gaza conflict.

Meanwhile, Rubio has also taken on the additional role of national security adviser and has emerged as a key proponent of Trump’s “America First” agenda, including stricter visa policies and internal reforms at the State Department.