UN Security Council Endorses US-Backed Gaza Plan, Authorizes International Force

In a significant diplomatic move, the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) has approved a US-drafted resolution aimed at establishing a lasting peace in Gaza, though the plan faces immediate rejection from Hamas and deep skepticism from key global powers.

The resolution passed on Monday with a decisive 14-0 vote, reflecting broad international concern over the ongoing conflict. However, the abstentions from permanent members China and Russia underscored the plan’s contentious nature and potential challenges in implementation.

The core of the resolution lays the groundwork for a two-pronged international intervention: a Trump-led Board of Peace to manage civil administration and reconstruction, and an International Stabilisation Force tasked with the military and security demilitarization of the Gaza Strip.

A Fragile Ceasefire and a Controversial Framework

The vote comes as a US-brokered ceasefire, which halted a recent intense bout of fighting, remains tenuous. The resolution formally annexes President Donald Trump’s 20-point peace plan, which was instrumental in securing that truce and the subsequent release of Israeli hostages.

U.S. Ambassador to the UN, Mike Waltz, heralded the resolution as a turning point. “This council has today charted a possible pathway for Palestinian self-determination,” he stated following the vote. “It is a future where rockets will give way to olive branches and where both parties have a chance to agree on a political horizon.”

What the Resolution Mandates

The resolution’s provisions are some of the most ambitious and intrusive ever proposed for the Palestinian territories:

1. The Board of Peace: Chaired by former President Trump, this transitional authority is envisioned to oversee the massive reconstruction of Gaza and its economic recovery. It would effectively act as a provisional government, coordinating aid and infrastructure projects.

2. The International Stabilisation Force (ISF): This UN-authorized force, expected to be composed of troops from nations willing to participate, is mandated to “ensure a process of demilitarising Gaza.” This includes decommissioning weapons, dismantling tunnels, and destroying military infrastructure not under the control of the Palestinian Authority.

3. Pathway to Statehood: The text has proven controversial in Israel, as it explicitly references a “credible pathway to Palestinian self-determination and statehood.” It conditions this on the Palestinian Authority implementing a reform program and the successful advancement of Gaza’s redevelopment. It also commits the U.S. to facilitating a dialogue between Israel and the Palestinians on a final political settlement.

Mixed Reactions and Stiff Opposition

The resolution has been met with a spectrum of strong reactions.

Hamas immediately and forcefully rejected the plan. In a statement on Telegram, the group declared, “The resolution imposes an international guardianship mechanism on the Gaza Strip, which our people and their factions reject.” It argued that tasking an international force with disarming Palestinian fighters “strips it of its neutrality, and turns it into a party to the conflict in favour of the occupation.” Hamas stated any international force should only be deployed on the borders as a buffer, under full UN supervision.

In Israel, the government of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has offered cautious, tepid support, focusing on the security benefits of demilitarization. However, right-wing members of his coalition have condemned the statehood references as a dangerous concession. Conversely, the Palestinian Authority in the West Bank has welcomed the economic and reconstruction elements but remains non-committal on the political aspects, demanding further clarifications.

Russia and China, in explaining their abstentions, expressed concern over the sweeping authority granted to the U.S.-led bodies and questioned the long-term sustainability of a plan imposed without the full buy-in of all direct parties. The Russian ambassador noted a “lack of sufficient guarantees for the respect of Palestinian sovereignty.”

Donald Trump, however, celebrated the vote as a personal and diplomatic victory. On his Truth Social platform, he wrote, “Congratulations to the World on the incredible Vote of the United Nations Security Council… acknowledging and endorsing the BOARD OF PEACE, which will be chaired by me, and include the most powerful and respected Leaders throughout the World.”

An Uncertain Road Ahead

While the UNSC vote provides a legal framework, the path forward is fraught with obstacles. The vehement opposition from Hamas, the designated governing authority in Gaza, poses a direct challenge to the deployment of the Stabilisation Force and the Board of Peace. Any attempt to forcibly disarm militant groups risks triggering a renewed and devastating conflict.

The resolution sets the stage for a complex and volatile new chapter in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, one where international actors are now directly empowered, on paper at least, to reshape the governance and security reality of Gaza.

With inputs from agencies

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