U.N. Security Council Approves U.S.-Sponsored Gaza Plan
The U.N. Security Council on Monday adopted a U.S.-sponsored resolution that authorizes an international stabilization force to help secure the devastated Gaza Strip and endorses a transitional "Board of Peace." The measure passed with 13 votes in favor, none against, and two abstentions — Russia and China — after Moscow circulated a competing draft.
Ceasefire, hostages and humanitarian access
The vote is a consequential step for preserving a fragile ceasefire that took effect on Oct. 10 and for shaping Gaza's post-war future following more than two years of fighting between Israel and Hamas. The first phase of the deal called for Hamas to hand over all living and deceased hostages in exchange for roughly 2,000 Palestinian prisoners held by Israel. While living hostages were returned by the deadline, some remains of deceased hostages have not been transferred, a shortfall Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu called a violation. Hamas and U.S. officials said recovering remains has been hampered by the scale of destruction in Gaza.
Observers also report continued flare-ups, including Israeli airstrikes that Jerusalem says were in retaliation for attacks on Israeli forces. International aid groups have accused Israel of failing to deliver all the humanitarian assistance pledged under the agreement.
What the resolution does
The resolution endorses a 20-point ceasefire framework proposed by former President Donald Trump and envisages a not-yet-established "Board of Peace" that Trump said he would chair. It authorizes a stabilization force with a broad mandate — securing borders, providing security, supporting demilitarization, and protecting humanitarian supply routes — and sets the authorization to expire at the end of 2027.
Specifically, the force is empowered to "use all necessary measures" to carry out its mandate in compliance with international law, U.N.-style language that permits the use of military force if required. The resolution envisions the stabilization troops working with a Palestinian police force that has been trained and vetted, coordinating closely with neighboring Egypt and Israel, and consulting with other countries contributing to humanitarian and security efforts.
Points of contention
Key unresolved and contentious issues include how to recover the remains of deceased hostages, how to fully demilitarize and disarm Hamas, and whether humanitarian commitments will be fulfilled. Hamas criticized the U.N. adoption of the plan, saying that assigning the force tasks inside Gaza — including disarming its fighters — would strip the mission of neutrality and make it a party to the conflict. Hamas said any international force should be stationed only on the borders under sole U.N. supervision.
Israel has insisted that demilitarization and concrete security guarantees must precede a full withdrawal. The resolution ties any Israeli withdrawal to agreed standards, milestones and timeframes linked to demilitarization, which must be negotiated among the stabilization force, Israeli commanders, the United States and ceasefire guarantors.
Regional diplomacy and reactions
Support from Arab and Muslim states was pivotal. Several regional governments that have signaled willingness to contribute troops said Security Council authorization was essential before they would participate. The U.S. mission at the U.N. circulated a joint statement with Qatar, Egypt, the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Indonesia, Pakistan, Jordan and Turkey urging swift adoption of the text.
Russia last week proposed an alternative draft that used clearer language in favor of Palestinian statehood alongside Israel, urged that the West Bank and Gaza be united under the Palestinian Authority, and removed references to the transitional Board of Peace. Moscow asked the U.N. secretary-general to provide options for an international security presence while underscoring the Security Council's central role.
Casualties and caveats
The vote came amid hopes the ceasefire holds after the conflict triggered by Hamas' Oct. 7, 2023 attack on southern Israel, which Israel says killed about 1,200 people. The Gaza Health Ministry, run by Hamas, reports more than 69,000 Palestinian deaths during Israel's offensive; that figure has not been independently verified and does not distinguish between civilians and combatants.
Trump on the vote: "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..."
The resolution marks an important diplomatic step but leaves major implementation challenges. How to operationalize demilitarization, ensure full humanitarian delivery, secure durable regional cooperation, and achieve a credible political horizon for Palestinians and Israelis remain open and politically fraught questions.
