‘Only the IDF can protect us’: Gaza border residents protest deployment of BoP's Gaza force
Residents who lived through October 7 protested the International Stabilization Force (ISF)’s planned entry into Gaza, citing fears of renewed Hamas attacks
Assessment
The protest signals a profound trust gap between communities who endured the October 7 attack and any security arrangement that does not center on the IDF. These residents are directly warning that a multinational force, however well-intentioned, cannot replicate the deterrence or intelligence that Israeli troops provide on the ground. The question now is whether political and military planners will adjust the ISF deployment plan to address this local opposition, or press ahead and risk undermining the force's legitimacy before it arrives. Watch for official responses from the defense establishment and any modifications to the force's mandate or composition.