Uganda’s parliament has approved the deployment of troops to Gaza as part of a proposed multinational force tasked with supporting security arrangements in the enclave following a disarmament agreement reached at the end of July.
The Ugandan Parliament on Thursday backed President Yoweri Museveni’s decision to deploy members of the Uganda People’s Defence Forces (UPDF) to the Gaza Strip for what authorities described as a peacekeeping mission.
The troops would form part of the proposed International Stabilisation Force (ISF), which is linked to the Board of Peace, an initiative established by US President Donald Trump to help oversee arrangements for Gaza’s post-war future.
General Henry Matsiko welcomed parliament’s approval, saying Uganda’s military was increasingly being recognised as a stabilising force beyond the country’s borders.
“I’m very, very proud as Ugandans that Uganda People’s Defence Forces is viewed as the anchor of stability in a sea of turbulence, regionally and now globally,” Matsiko told parliament.
Morocco, Kosovo, Albania and Kazakhstan have also indicated a willingness to contribute personnel to the multinational force, according to a Board of Peace source cited by AFP in July.
Under the reported plan, the ISF would help secure a designated “humanitarian zone” intended to accommodate tens of thousands of Palestinians who would first undergo vetting.
Palestinians housed in the area would reportedly be permitted to move in and out, although proposals for closed or controlled humanitarian zones in Gaza have previously drawn concern from humanitarian organisations.
The Ugandan decision was not supported unanimously.
MP Karim Masaba warned that deploying troops to Gaza carried significant risks because of continued Israeli military strikes.
“The matter of deploying our soldiers to a very risky place like Gaza, where Israel strikes every now and again, cannot be just casually passed here,” Masaba said.
The approval also comes amid uncertainty over the political framework surrounding the proposed force.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Wednesday that Israel had not accepted the latest proposed roadmap for Gaza.
Uganda’s military leadership has meanwhile expressed strong support for Israel in recent months.
Army chief Muhoozi Kainerugaba, the son of President Museveni, has repeatedly posted pro-Israel messages on social media.
In January, Kainerugaba wrote on X: “Israel is in our blood… We will always stand by our brethren in Israel.”
His public support for Israel has drawn renewed scrutiny following Uganda’s decision to approve the Gaza deployment.
On Saturday, Kainerugaba also inaugurated a statue honouring Yonatan “Yoni” Netanyahu, the older brother of Israel’s current prime minister.
Yoni Netanyahu was killed in 1976 while leading the Israeli military operation at Entebbe Airport in Uganda, then ruled by Idi Amin.
He was the only Israeli soldier killed during the raid.
