The UN Security Council voted on Monday to support the US resolution on establishing an international security force for Gaza. This is a very significant decision that could have momentous implications if such a force comes into existence and can help govern Gaza and stabilize it.
Israeli officials, from the prime minister to the defense minister and the IDF’s chief of staff, have all said that Hamas must be disarmed. For now, Israel is waiting to see if the US-backed initiative can do it.
According to UN News in Arabic, the UN Security Council voted to approve the US initiative. “With the approval of 13 members and the abstention of Russia and China from voting, the UN Security Council has adopted a resolution proposed by the United States authorizing the establishment of a temporary international force to achieve stability in Gaza.”
Getting approval at the UN is a major win for the Trump administration. It shows that the administration has learned how to build global consensus. The US is not going it alone; rather, it is working with partners. US President Donald Trump was able to get the hostage deal in early October, and 20 living hostages were freed. The other 28 deceased hostages were then supposed to be returned, yet three remain in Gaza. Meanwhile, Hamas has tried to return to power in part of Gaza.
The US ambassador to the UN called on Security Council member states to vote in favor of the draft resolution, pointing to what he described as broad support from the region and Arab and Islamic countries, the UN’s Arabic media reported on Monday.
The resolution was aimed at authorizing “the establishment of a temporary international force to achieve stability in Gaza.” This is one part of the 20-part plan that the US has pushed as part of the ceasefire. The UN vote also pushed a US-backed “transitional administrative body... that takes charge of setting the framework and coordinating funding for the redevelopment of Gaza...”
Draft resolution stipulates security presence to remain until at least December 2027
The draft resolution stipulates, according to the UN, that the “authorization issued for both the [Board of] Peace Council and forms of international civilian and security presence shall remain in effect until December 31, 2027, subject to further action by the Security Council, and that any renewal of the authorization issued for the international force shall be in full cooperation and coordination with Egypt, Israel, and other member states that continue to work with the international force.”
This is a very important development. Now the hard work will begin as the US seeks to find countries to commit peacekeepers. Israel will not want countries such as Turkey sending troops. Indonesia has said it could commit forces. US Central Command is also playing a key role via the CMCC coordination center. All of this shows major American buy-in and commitment to ending the war and doing what is right in Gaza.
However, the hard work will be reconstruction and disarming Hamas.