The United Nations Security Council is poised to vote on a draft resolution supporting former U.S. President Donald Trump’s comprehensive peace plan for Gaza. The proposal, submitted by the United States, outlines the deployment of an International Stabilization Force (ISF) and the establishment of a transitional administration in the region. While the U.S. claims several unnamed nations have pledged contributions to the ISF, its precise mandate—whether to enforce Hamas’s disarmament or serve as a peacekeeping entity—remains ambiguous. This initiative is a cornerstone of Trump’s 20-point strategy, which recently facilitated a ceasefire in the two-year conflict between Israel and Hamas. The draft resolution also cautiously introduces the concept of a Palestinian state, a notion vehemently opposed by Israel. Intense negotiations have surrounded the text, with Washington cautioning that rejection could reignite hostilities. Beyond authorizing the ISF, which would collaborate with Israel and Egypt, the draft advocates for the creation of a newly trained Palestinian police force in Gaza, replacing the current Hamas-controlled authority. Reports suggest the ISF would focus on disarming non-state armed groups, including Hamas, while safeguarding civilians and humanitarian corridors. Hamas, however, has denounced the resolution as ‘dangerous,’ rejecting any foreign military presence and disarmament clauses, which it views as an infringement on Palestinian sovereignty. The draft also proposes a Board of Peace, likely led by Trump, to oversee a temporary technocratic administration tasked with Gaza’s reconstruction. Amid pressure from key Arab states, the text hints at a potential future Palestinian state, though it stops short of explicitly endorsing one. This inclusion has drawn sharp criticism from Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who reiterated Israel’s unwavering opposition to a Palestinian state west of the Jordan River. Trump’s plan has temporarily halted the Israel-Gaza conflict, which erupted after Hamas’s October 7, 2023, attack on Israel, resulting in significant casualties and hostages. The Hamas-run health ministry reports over 69,483 Palestinian deaths since the conflict began.
