Islamabad, October 28, 2025: The Ministry of Information on Tuesday strongly rejected as “completely fabricated” a media report alleging that Pakistan had struck a secret deal with the United States’ Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) and Israel’s Mossad to send 20,000 troops to Gaza as part of a post-war peacekeeping force.
The report, carried by Indian outlet First Post citing CNN-News18, claimed that Pakistan was preparing to deploy troops to Gaza following purported secret meetings between Army Chief Field Marshal Asim Munir and officials from the CIA and Mossad. It alleged that the Pakistani contingent would “neutralise remaining Hamas elements” and act as a “buffer force” under Western direction in exchange for financial incentives and debt relief packages.
The Information Ministry dismissed the claims outright, calling the story “a manufactured propaganda piece” aimed at tarnishing Pakistan’s image and misrepresenting its foreign policy.
“The news item is completely fabricated. No such meetings, understandings, or ‘deals’ ever took place between Pakistan’s leadership, the CIA or Mossad,” the ministry said in a post on X.
“Pakistan does not recognise Israel, has no diplomatic or military engagement with it, and maintains a clear, principled stance in support of Palestinian self-determination.”
The statement added that neither the military’s media wing nor any credible domestic or international source had verified any plan to deploy Pakistani troops to Gaza. It accused CNN-News18 of having “a history of publishing anti-Pakistan disinformation, including multiple unverified ‘intelligence source’ stories in the past.”
Despite the denial, senior government and defence officials privately confirmed that Pakistan’s participation in an International Stabilisation Force (ISF) — a key component of the US-brokered Gaza Peace Agreement — is under serious consideration. The ISF, envisioned to consist largely of troops from Muslim-majority countries, is tasked with maintaining internal security, disarming Hamas, securing border crossings, and assisting with humanitarian relief under a transitional Palestinian authority.
Officials familiar with the deliberations, speaking on condition of anonymity, said discussions within Islamabad’s civil and military leadership were at an “advanced stage,” with a formal decision expected soon.
They noted that Pakistan was part of the original eight-country peace proposal drafted in late 2024, which laid the groundwork for the current Gaza peace plan. “Since the ISF is a central pillar of that plan, participation would demonstrate Pakistan’s consistency and credibility,” one official said.
Supporters of participation cite Pakistan’s long-standing record in UN peacekeeping, where it has deployed over 200,000 troops to more than 40 missions across Africa, Asia, and the Middle East. Officials argue this experience equips the country to operate effectively in post-conflict zones and enhances the ISF’s legitimacy.
Beyond operational rationale, proponents view the mission through a diplomatic lens. They believe joining the Gaza stabilisation effort could improve ties with Washington, which have been on a gradual mend since Donald Trump’s return to the White House, and potentially open new avenues for economic cooperation and defence support.
However, officials also acknowledged significant political and security risks. Gaza remains volatile, and domestic sentiment in Pakistan is deeply sympathetic to the Palestinian cause. Any deployment seen as aligning with a US- or Israel-led initiative could provoke public backlash.
“Ideally, we would like this deployment to take place under a UN mandate,” one official said. “It’s a difficult but defining choice.”
