Greece is considering sending engineers to the Gaza Strip as part of Phase II of the Trump administration's Gaza ceasefire deal, N12 reported on Saturday, citing several sources familiar with the details.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is expected to discuss the issue with his Greek counterpart, Kyriakos Mitsotakis, during their Monday meeting, the report noted.
Israel is encouraging Greece to take an active role in the future of the Gaza Strip, and the two countries are tightening relations in an effort to reduce Turkey's sphere of influence in the eastern Mediterranean, the sources said.
"Greece has expressed willingness to integrate into the 'day after' plan for Gaza, something that we are also interested in, from the International Stabilization Force, to other aspects," an Israeli political source told N12.
Israel wants a Greek presence in a future force in the Strip, the source added, noting that concrete details have not yet been agreed upon. "Greece would be willing to participate. I do not see it sending combat forces, but auxiliary forces of one kind or another, such as engineering, could be an option," the source told N12.
N12 also discussed the issue with Sotiris Serbos, a political adviser to Mitsotakis.
"All the countries involved in the process, first and foremost Israel, but also other key players, prefer Greek participation," he said.
"It is very important for Israel to determine who will participate in the future force in the area and under what mandate," he added, saying that Greece's new political worldview is leading it to try to play a larger, more influential role in the region.
Greek concerns over Turkish influence may be triggering Gaza plans
"The Greeks are troubled by the fact that Turkey enjoys a special status in Washington, among other things, because of the good relations between [Turkish President Recep Tayyip] Erdogan and [US President Donald] Trump," the Israeli political source told N12.
"The Greeks see us as a partner that can convey a message against Turkey," they added, emphasizing that "Turkey will be an issue that comes up in the meeting between the prime ministers, because of its expanding and troubling influence" in the region.
Sorbos clarified that the relationship between Israel and Greece is "vital to neutralizing Turkey's Blue Homeland doctrine, and anyone who seeks to expand in the region." The doctrine, known in Turkish as "Mavi Vatan," is Ankara's strategy to expand Turkey's influence, particularly in the eastern Mediterranean and the Middle East, to become a regional power.