Italy courted by US for Gaza stabilization force. The Trump administration invites Rome to be a founding member

The US has asked Italy to join the International Stabilization Force (ISF) for Gaza as a founding member, people familiar with the matter told Bloomberg, in the context of the Trump administration trying to strengthen the initiative's credibility, News.ro notes.

Under the proposal, Italy would not contribute troops to the ISF. Instead, an earlier promise to train Gaza's future police force would suffice, with Italy's main contribution coming from its political influence over Arab states, Israel and the Palestinians, the people added.

Meloni's office declined to comment, and the Foreign Ministry did not respond to requests for comment.

White House spokeswoman Taylor Rogers also declined to say whether the US had extended an invitation to Rome. “The ISF announcements will be made soon,” she said.

Asked about Italy, a US official said that several countries are interested in participating in Trump's peace efforts in Gaza and that the US is in discussions with partner countries.

President Donald Trump in October announced a 20-point plan to bring peace after two years of war that has ravaged Gaza and left an estimated 72,000 dead, according to the enclave's Hamas-run Health Ministry, which does not distinguish between civilian and combatant casualties.

The plan has suffered significant delays, and Israel and Hamas remain at odds over key elements and the order of implementation.

Meanwhile, the US struggled to find countries willing to contribute troops to the stabilization force.

On the other hand, US allies in the Group of Seven, including Italy, largely avoided the signing ceremony of Trump's so-called Peace Council on Thursday.

The group of high-level world leaders was meant to oversee the political transition in Gaza, but the council has become the subject of controversy, including over a proposal for Trump to lead the council for life and a draft charter requiring countries to contribute $1 billion to keep a permanent seat on the council.

Trump threatened France with tariffs for refusing the invitation and withdrawing the offer made to Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney after he gave a speech at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, in which he criticized Trump's economic coercion of smaller countries, but without directly naming the US president.

There are some doubts from the Italian side about the appropriateness and manner of joining the ISF, Bloomberg's sources said, although there is political will to participate in the overall peace effort for Gaza. Meloni justified her refusal to sign the Peace Council's statute by saying it would conflict with the Italian Constitution, although she stressed that she remains open to changes to the statute.

Italy's right-wing leader has engaged in a balancing act with Trump since he returned to power in 2025, avoiding open criticism at almost all costs. On Friday, speaking alongside German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, she defended Trump and his desire to win the Nobel Peace Prize.