Indonesia Outlines Four National Caveats for an ISF Mission in Gaza, Tempo.co

Indonesia has been selected as the deputy commander of the ISF in the Gaza Strip.

By Dani Aswara for Tempo.co, February 23, 2026

Indonesia’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs has announced four national caveats for Indonesia’s involvement in any International Stabilization Force (ISF) in the Gaza Strip. These caveats are conditions for Indonesia’s participation in a mission.

Foreign Ministry spokesperson Yvonne Mewengkang said the government had determined the guidelines for involvement from the outset. Mewengkang claimed Indonesia has established clear national caveats from the outset.

“First, Indonesia’s participation is to be non-combat and non-demilitarization, and it will not participate in disarmament,” Mewengkang told Tempo on Monday, February 23, 2026.

Second, Indonesia will not engage in direct confrontation with any party.

Third, the deployment of Indonesian personnel is limited to the Gaza Strip and must obtain the approval of the Palestinian Authority.

Fourth, the use of force is permitted only for self-defense and to maintain the mandate. This use must be proportional, gradual, a last resort, and in accordance with international law and the Rules of Engagement.

Yvonne explained that the focus of Indonesia’s participation in an ISF is protecting civilians, providing humanitarian and medical assistance, reconstruction, and strengthening the capacity of the Palestinian civil authority through training for the Palestinian civil police.

Hikmahanto Juwana, Professor of International Law at the University of Indonesia, questioned the effectiveness of the national caveats that the government has reportedly issued on Indonesia’s involvement in a mission in Gaza. The issue is whether these national boundaries will truly be considered and used as a basis for mobilizing Indonesian troops, he said. “Will the national caveats be considered and used as a basis for mobilizing our troops or not?” Hikmahanto asked when contacted on Sunday, February 22, 2026.

He believes that after a country contributes troops, operational control can rest with the mission command. In that situation, he said, it is possible that the command will declare the national caveats solely an internal matter for the sending country, while troop movement decisions remain with the command.

Hikmahanto also reminded the government to be cautious regarding the appointment of Indonesia as Deputy Commander. He believes this position could be a strategy to get Indonesia to continue contributing the largest number of troops, considering that Indonesia currently has the largest contribution of the five countries contributing troops.

Dani Aswara, a graduate of the Political Science Study Program at Andalas University in Padang, West Sumatra, began his career in journalism at Tempo in 2024. He writes about political, legal, and crime issues.

This post is based on https://www.tempo.co/politik/ini-empat-batasan-nasional-indonesia-untuk-misi-isf-di-gaza-2117229. Featured image credit: Burnt out car of a Brigadier A W S Mallaby, Surabaya 1945.

In related news:

• Indonesia’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs sets out four national limitations for  the Indonesian National Armed Forces (TNI) for any ISF in Gaza, MFA via Antara and Xinhua.