U.S. Urges UN Security Council to Back Trump Gaza Plan as Russia Circulates Rival Draft

U.S. pushes for Security Council endorsement of Gaza plan; Russia offers countertext

The United States has urged the United Nations Security Council to formally endorse its draft resolution intended to reinforce President Donald Trump’s Gaza peace plan, warning that Palestinians could face "grave consequences" if the ceasefire collapses and violence resumes.

The call came as Russia circulated its own rival draft to the 15-member council, challenging Washington’s text, according to copies of the documents seen by international news agencies.

A spokesperson for the U.S. mission to the UN said in a Thursday statement that any "attempts to sow discord" around the American resolution would lead to "grave, tangible, and entirely avoidable consequences" for civilians in Gaza should the ceasefire break down and hostilities restart.

Key features of the U.S. draft

According to a draft reviewed by AFP, the U.S. text would authorize a two-year mandate, through the end of 2027, for a transitional governance entity in Gaza called the "Board of Peace," which the draft says would be chaired by President Trump.

The resolution would also permit member states to form a temporary International Stabilization Force (ISF) responsible for the "permanent decommissioning of weapons from non-state armed groups" in Gaza, protecting civilians and securing humanitarian aid corridors.

The ISF is described in the draft as coordinating with Israel, Egypt and newly trained Palestinian police units to help secure border areas and work toward demilitarizing the enclave. The draft references a proposed force size of up to 20,000, but notes President Trump has ruled out deploying U.S. combat troops as part of that contingent.

Washington says it has discussed contributions with Indonesia, the United Arab Emirates, Egypt, Qatar, Türkiye and Azerbaijan, though several countries have expressed reservations about sending troops for fear they could be drawn into direct clashes with Hamas.

Unresolved questions and international response

Unlike earlier drafts, the new text also references the possibility of a future Palestinian state, saying "conditions may finally be in place for a credible pathway to Palestinian self-determination and statehood" once the Palestinian Authority implements requested reforms. It also calls for a U.S.-led dialogue between Israelis and Palestinians to establish a political horizon for "peaceful and prosperous coexistence."

But diplomats and analysts have highlighted important omissions: the draft does not specify an independent oversight mechanism for the proposed "Board of Peace," leaves the Palestinian Authority’s long-term role unclear, and provides limited operational detail on the ISF’s rules of engagement, mandate duration and reporting lines.

With those questions unresolved, Russia circulated its own counter-resolution, saying its objective is to help the Security Council "develop a balanced, acceptable, and unified approach toward achieving a sustainable cessation of hostilities." 

Ceasefire, casualties and the wider context

On October 8, President Trump announced that Israel and Hamas had agreed to the first phase of a 20-point Gaza plan, pausing a two-year conflict that international tallies say has resulted in tens of thousands of deaths in the enclave; AFP reported a figure of at least 69,179 fatalities.

The arrangement has enabled exchanges of Israeli captives for Palestinian prisoners, a partial Israeli troop withdrawal and the delivery of some humanitarian aid. But the ceasefire remains fragile: U.N. and aid agencies, as well as other observers, have reported repeated violations and near-daily strikes that have resulted in further civilian casualties.

Pointing to that fragility, the U.S. mission urged Security Council members to "unite and move forward to secure the peace that is desperately needed," arguing that backing the U.S. resolution would help stabilize the situation and reduce the risk of renewed large-scale fighting.

Diplomatic next steps: The U.S. draft was formally circulated to all 15 council members for negotiation. Expect intensive discussions in coming days as members press for clearer oversight, accountability measures and explicit safeguards for civilians.