UN Security Council Backs US Plan for Gaza Stabilisation Force and Future Palestinian State

UN backs US plan for Gaza security force

The UN Security Council has approved a United States-drafted resolution creating an international stabilisation force for Gaza.

The measure passed with 13 votes in favour, while Russia and China abstained but did not use their veto powers. 

The resolution aims to secure the devastated enclave after more than two years of war between Israel and Hamas.

It is described by US officials as a “historic and constructive” step towards a more stable Gaza and a more secure Israel. 

Stabilisation force to secure devastated Gaza

Under the plan, an international force will be authorised to operate inside Gaza with a broad mandate.

Tasks include overseeing border security, supporting demilitarisation efforts and helping maintain order as reconstruction begins. 

Authorisation for the mission, and for a new “Board of Peace” that would supervise the transition, is due to run until the end of 2027.

The Board would act as a temporary authority, chaired by US President Donald Trump, while longer-term governance arrangements are negotiated. 

Pathway towards Palestinian statehood debated

The resolution also sets out, in stronger language than earlier drafts, a potential pathway to Palestinian statehood.

It states that once the Palestinian Authority has implemented key reforms and Gaza’s redevelopment has advanced, conditions “may finally be in place” for a credible path to self-determination and statehood. 

Washington has pledged to open a new dialogue between Israel and the Palestinians.

The goal is to agree on a “political horizon” for peaceful coexistence after years of stalled negotiations and recurring violence. 

Russia, China abstain after rival proposal

Russia had circulated its own rival resolution before the vote, reflecting wider geopolitical tensions at the UN.

Moscow and Beijing ultimately chose to abstain, allowing the US-backed text to pass without open confrontation on the council floor. 

Western diplomats had feared a possible Russian veto that would have killed the proposal.

Instead, the 13-0 result was welcomed by countries seeking a stronger international role in stabilising Gaza. 

Hamas and Israel sharply criticise the plan

Reactions from the parties to the conflict have been sharply divided.

The Palestinian Authority, which governs parts of the occupied West Bank, endorsed the resolution and the reference to eventual statehood. 

However, Hamas rejected the plan, arguing it fails to respect Palestinian rights and would impose an unwanted international trusteeship on Gaza.

The group says a foreign force tasked with disarming Palestinian fighters “strips it of its neutrality” and effectively sides with Israel. 

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has condemned any mention of a Palestinian state.

He insists Israel remains opposed to statehood and has vowed to demilitarise Gaza “the easy way or the hard way,” warning that concessions could reward Hamas and threaten Israel’s long-term security. 

Regional stakes and next steps for Gaza

Arab and Muslim-majority countries, including Qatar, Egypt, the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Indonesia, Pakistan, Jordan and Türkiye, backed the resolution.

In a joint statement, they had earlier signalled that Security Council approval was essential before they would consider contributing troops to any international force. 

The vote marks a critical moment for Gaza’s fragile ceasefire and for diplomacy after years of conflict.

Whether the stabilisation force and political roadmap can actually be implemented now depends on the cooperation—or resistance—of Israel, Palestinian factions and regional powers in the months ahead. 

Image: Angela Weiss/AFP

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