UN security council approves Trump’s Gaza plan for an international force

Last night, the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) adopted a resolution presented by the US, endorsing President Donald Trump’s plan for Gaza. The proposal provides for the deployment of an international force in the region.

Thirteen countries voted in favor of the resolution, while permanent UNSC members Russia and China abstained.

Last month, Israel and Hamas agreed to the first phase of Trump’s 20-point plan for Gaza, which includes a ceasefire and a prisoner exchange to end the two-year war.

The UN resolution is considered a crucial step, as it grants legitimacy to the transitional governing body and provides assurance to countries considering deploying troops to Gaza.

Plan provides for international force and ‘Peace Council’

According to the text of the resolution, member states can join the “Peace Council,” which is designed as a temporary authority to oversee Gaza’s reconstruction and economic recovery.

In addition to this council, which will operate under Trump’s leadership, the text also authorizes an international stabilization force tasked with implementing the demilitarization of Gaza.

This force’s duties will include the disposal of weapons and the destruction of military infrastructure.

Hamas: We will not disarm; this is an imposed guardianship

In a statement following the resolution’s adoption, Hamas reiterated that it will not disarm, asserting that its struggle against Israel is “legitimate resistance.” This position could place the organization in direct conflict with the international force authorized by the resolution.

The statement declared, “This resolution imposes an international guardianship mechanism on the Gaza Strip, which our people and resistance groups reject.”

US: Hamas’s rule is ending

US Permanent Representative to the UN Mike Waltz argued that the resolution, which includes Trump’s 20-point plan as an annex, “charts a potential roadmap for Palestinian self-determination.”

Waltz asserted that the resolution provides a framework in which “olive branches replace rockets and a chance for consensus on the political horizon emerges.”

Speaking before the vote, Waltz stated, “This resolution ends Hamas’s dominion, allowing Gaza to emerge from the shadow of terror toward a free, prosperous, and secure future.”

Russia and China warn of ‘colonialism’

Russia, which holds veto power in the Council, allowed the resolution to pass by abstaining from the vote, despite earlier signals that it might oppose the draft.

The UN ambassadors for China and Russia, who both abstained, stated that the text fails to grant the UN a clear and decisive role in Gaza’s future.

Russia’s Permanent Representative to the UN Vasily Nebenzya said in a post-vote statement, “In essence, the Council is endorsing a US initiative based on Washington’s commitments. It hands over full control of the Gaza Strip to a Peace Council and an International Stabilization Force, about whose operations we still know nothing.”

Nebenzya stressed that Moscow had insisted on a role for the Security Council in monitoring the ceasefire in Gaza, noting that the resolution is not based on a two-state solution and does not provide a timeline for the transfer of control.

The Russian representative added, “The resolution is reminiscent of colonial practices, the League of Nations, and the British Mandate for Palestine, where Palestinian views were not taken into account.”

China’s Permanent Representative to the UN objected, stating, “The resolution is deficient in many respects and extremely worrying. It is vague and unclear on many critical issues,” and added, “It outlines post-war governance arrangements for Gaza, but Palestine is almost invisible in this draft.”

Palestinian Authority welcomes the resolution

Meanwhile, the Palestinian Authority welcomed the resolution and announced its readiness to participate in its implementation.

Diplomatic sources indicated that the Palestinian Authority’s support for the draft last week played a critical role in preventing a Russian veto.

Trump also described the vote as a “truly historic moment” in a social media post, adding, “Council members and many more exciting announcements will be made in the coming weeks.”

‘Statehood’ clause causes controversy in Israel

The resolution sparked controversy in Israel because it refers to the possibility of future Palestinian statehood.

The text states that if the Palestinian Authority implements a reform program and makes progress in Gaza’s reconstruction, “a credible roadmap for Palestinian self-determination and the goal of statehood could finally emerge.”

The resolution also states, “The US will initiate a dialogue between Israel and the Palestinians aimed at reaching consensus on a political horizon for a peaceful and prosperous coexistence.”

However, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, under pressure from right-wing partners in his government, reiterated on Sunday that his country still opposes a Palestinian state and pledged to demilitarize Gaza “the easy way or the hard way.”