Roving Periscope: In a U-turn, Pak inks deal with CIA—and Mossad!—for Gaza “peace”
Virendra Pandit
New Delhi: Desperately criss-crossing ‘friendly’ countries with a begging bowl, broke Pakistan is now ready to sleep even with its ‘worst enemy’—Israel, no less!—as it will now use its army like a paid militia force, ready to smash Hamas in Gaza, even at the cost of antagonizing its foster terror kids like Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP) back home, which is baying for the blood of “Field Marshal” Asim Munir for cosying up with the Jewish state.
Russia’s most well-known militia is the Wagner Group, a state-funded private military company (PMC), active in conflicts in Ukraine, Syria, and several African countries. Another group with private military ties is the Kadyrovites, Chechen forces loyal to Ramzan Kadyrov.
Along similar lines, Islamabad is preparing to send up to 20,000 soldiers to the Gaza Strip as part of an International Stabilisation Force (ISF), according to a secret deal brokered by Asim Munir with senior officials of the USA’s CIA and Israel’s Mossad in Egypt early in October, top intelligence sources were quoted as saying in media reports on Tuesday.
As Pakistan does not recognise Israel, the development marks a fundamental realignment of the Israel-Pakistan relationship. With a role in Gaza, Pakistan would further seek to entrench itself in West Asia’s evolving security architecture, the reports said
Islamabad has even removed the line “Passport not valid for Israel” from the new edition of its passport, signalling a softening stance toward Tel Aviv. Israeli media described Pakistan’s potential involvement as “delicate but strategically useful,” though it has triggered unease among regional actors.
This is seen as a “historic and unprecedented realignment” for Pakistan and West Asia as Islamabad will, for the first time, become part of Israeli security operations in Gaza.
Pakistan is ready to contribute to the ISF, officials told the Dawn newspaper, adding internal discussions were at an “advanced stage” and the tone suggests that the leaders are inclined to deploy troops to Gaza.
In Gaza, Pakistani soldiers’ mandate will include “neutralising remaining Hamas elements and stabilising the territory under Western instructions.” The arrangement involves a “controlled Pakistani military presence in Gaza” under the guise of humanitarian rehabilitation and reconstruction, but the real mandate would involve neutralising Hamas and maintaining a buffer zone between Israel and Palestinian armed groups in Gaza.
In the Strip, Pakistani soldiers will be part of the ISF until the Palestinian enclave’s eventual handover to the Palestinian Authority (PA) under US President Donald Trump’s 20-point plan for Gaza.
Last week, US Vice President JD Vance said the ISF will take the lead in disarming Hamas in Gaza, which is among the most important points in Trump’s plan.
Under the arrangement brokered by Munir with Mossad and CIA, Pakistani contingent will likely work with troops from Indonesia and Azerbaijan which are being considered for limited peacekeeping or enforcement roles in a post-war Gaza administration framework led by Western and Arab intermediaries.
They would act as a buffer force between Israel and Gaza’s remaining armed factions, providing a security umbrella while facilitating reconstruction and institutional restructuring.
In exchange, Israel and the United States have ‘promised’ Pakistan a package of economic incentives, including World Bank loan leniency, deferred repayment schedules, and financial support routed through Gulf intermediaries, the reports suggested.
However, a Pakistani presence in Gaza might be opposed by Iran, Turkey, and Qatar, who have historically sheltered and supported Hamas, and used the Palestinian terrorist group as a leverage in advancing their own goals in the volatile region. They may oppose Pakistani presence in Gaza, viewing it as an anti-Hamas, pro-Israel manoeuvre serving US and Israeli objectives. Such a move could further strain Pakistan’s ties with the Arabs and embolden domestic Islamist groups like TLP who continue to view Israel as an adversary.
The reported mission would mark Pakistan’s first indirect engagement in Israeli security operations — a stunning reversal for a nation that has never formally recognised Israel.
Pakistan’s cooperation is also being ‘quietly rewarded’ with temporary diplomatic relief — including reduced Indian military pressure along the Line of Control (LoC) and muted criticism from Western human rights bodies over Pakistan’s ongoing domestic crackdowns and excesses. A report described it as “a survival bargain — economic relief and global legitimacy in exchange for Western security service.”
Washington and Tel Aviv see Pakistan’s military as an instrument for “regional balancing against Iran and indirect enforcement in Gaza without Israeli boots on the ground.”
For Islamabad, “this is less about ideology and more about survival — a desperate geopolitical bargain for economic breathing space.”
