BAKU: President Ilham Aliyev has made it clear that Azerbaijan will not deploy troops for peacekeeping missions abroad, including in Gaza. Speaking to local television channels late Monday, Aliyev said his government had shared a detailed questionnaire with the United States regarding the proposed International Stabilisation Force (ISF), but confirmed that participation was not under consideration.
“We prepared a questionnaire of more than 20 questions and provided it to the American side. No participation in peacekeeping forces is envisaged,” Aliyev stated. He added that he was not considering involvement in hostilities outside Azerbaijan under any circumstances.
An Azeri government source had previously indicated that Azerbaijan would only consider contributing troops if there was a complete ceasefire between Israel and Hamas.
Diplomatic sources involved in the Gaza peace process told Dawn that despite concerns and fears of domestic backlash, most Muslim-majority countries want the ISF to succeed, believing it is the only mechanism capable of ensuring the safety of Palestinians in the enclave.
“Israel has already killed more than 70,000 people in Gaza, and only an international force with a clear mandate can stop this genocide,” said one diplomat from a Muslim nation directly engaged in the talks.
