The White House said on Friday that it had appointed a commander for the International Stabilization Force (ISF), which is expected to lead security operations in Gaza.
“Major-General Jasper Jeffers has been appointed commander of the International Stabilization Force, where he will lead security operations, support comprehensive demilitarization, and enable the safe delivery of humanitarian aid and reconstruction materials,” the White House added.
The goal is to “establish security, preserve peace, and establish a durable terror-free environment.”
The appointment of Jeffers comes as the US has also moved to appoint a new Board of Peace for Gaza, as well as a Gaza Executive Board. The US also announced the names of the new committee of Palestinian technocrats who will run Gaza. The ISF will be of great assistance to these parties.
Jeffers has decades of experience in the US military and has played a key role in the Israel-Lebanon ceasefire. According to US Special Operations Command Central, he was “commissioned into the infantry from Virginia Tech in 1996. Throughout his career, he has led Airborne, Stryker, Ranger, and Special Operations units during combat and operational deployments, including Operation Iraqi Freedom (Iraq), Operation Enduring Freedom (Afghanistan), and Operation Resolute Support (Afghanistan).”
His family, which runs a sawmill business, comes from Giles County, Virginia, according to a Virginia Tech website.
Who is Major-General Jasper Jeffers
He previously led a Stryker Infantry Company. He was then involved in several special operations units, rising to command a Stryker Infantry Brigade and Special Operations Brigade.
He also served on the Joint Staff as deputy director for Special Operations and Counter-Terrorism. In June 2024, Jeffers, who was a brigadier general at the time, was assigned as commander of Special Operations Command Central, which is part of the US Special Operations Command.
He moved to MacDill Air Force Base, Florida, at the time, where CENTCOM is headquartered. According to CENTCOM, his previous awards include the Defense Superior Service Medal, a Legion of Merit, a Bronze Star, and other medals. He is married and has three children.
In November 2024, he arrived in Beirut and was tapped to serve as co-chair for the Implementation and Monitoring Mechanism of the Cessation of Hostilities, the format for the ceasefire between Israel and Lebanon.
At the time, he was sent to Beirut alongside Senior Advisor to the President Amos Hochstein. The goal was to work “for the implementation and monitoring mechanism of the cessation of hostilities between Israel and Lebanon,” the US military noted.
At the time, the US noted that “cessation of hostilities implementation and monitoring mechanism will be chaired by the United States, and consist of the Lebanese Armed Forces (LAF), Israel Defense Forces (IDF), the United Nations Interim Forces in Lebanon (UNIFIL), and France.”
During his time in the military, he has served in Fort Lewis, Washington, and Fort Bragg. He was deployed to Iraq as part of the US invasion in 2003, and also served in Afghanistan “as advisor to the commander of Operation Resolute Support, a NATO military mission in the country.”
The New Arab reported that “he then went on to lead a brigade within the US Army Special Operations Command, deployed to support Operation Inherent Resolve in Iraq and Syria, the US-led campaign against the Islamic State group in those countries.”
It is unclear which countries will play a role in the ISF. Over the past few months, several countries have been named in reports, including Indonesia, Azerbaijan, Egypt, and Pakistan. The UAE reportedly ruled out joining the force in November. Israel opposes Turkey having a military role in Gaza. In early January, Azerbaijan appeared to back away from committing to the force.