The United Nations Security Council has approved a US-drafted resolution backing US President Donald Trump’s extensive 20-point plan for Gaza, marking one of the most consequential diplomatic moves since the outbreak of the Israel–Hamas war in October 2023. The resolution passed with 13 votes in favour, none against, while Russia and China abstained.
At the heart of the plan is the creation of an International Stabilisation Force (ISF), which the US says several countries have already offered to join. The ISF will work closely with Israel, Egypt, and a newly trained Palestinian police force to secure border areas and oversee the disarmament of non-state armed groups, including Hamas.
A second major component is the formation of the Board of Peace (BoP), a transitional governance body tasked with supervising an apolitical Palestinian technocratic committee. Its responsibilities will include overseeing humanitarian aid delivery, reconstruction efforts, and managing a World Bank-backed trust fund for rebuilding Gaza after two years of devastating war.
While the plan aims to consolidate the ceasefire that took effect on 10 October, reactions remain deeply divided. Hamas rejected the resolution, arguing it imposes “international guardianship” over Gaza and compromises Palestinian resistance by granting the ISF authority to disarm armed factions. The Palestinian Authority, however, welcomed the resolution and called for urgent implementation.
Notably, the final text includes references to a “credible pathway” to Palestinian self-determination and statehood, language that several Security Council members and Arab states pushed for. Israel’s continued opposition to a Palestinian state remains a significant hurdle.
President Trump hailed the vote as “historic,” saying it sets the stage for unprecedented progress toward peace.
As global powers debate the plan’s implications, the UN Secretary-General emphasized that turning the resolution into tangible action on the ground will be key to advancing a long-stalled two-state solution.
