The U.S. and Israel are exploring options for the future of the Gaza Strip, including the possibility of a multinational force that may involve American troops if Israeli forces succeed in ousting Hamas, people familiar with the matter said.
The people said the conversations have been impelled by a sense of urgency to come up with a plan for the future of Gaza now that a ground invasion has begun. A second option would establish a peacekeeping force modeled on one that oversees a 1979 Egypt-Israel peace treaty, while a third would see Gaza put under temporary United Nations oversight.
The people, who asked not to be identified discussing the sensitive matter, underscored that the conversations are still at an early stage and much could change. Some U.S. officials consider the options premature or unlikely. But U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken alluded to the challenge on Tuesday when he told a Senate panel that the U.S. was examining a range options for the future of Gaza.