TRUMP'S GAZA PEACE PLAN OFFERS A FAINT RAY OF HOPE

The resolution includes provisions for an International Stabilization Force to secure borders, protect civilians, facilitate humanitarian aid, and demilitarize Gaza.

- PRABHU DAYAL

U.S. President Donald Trump

The UN Security Council has adopted a U.S.-drafted resolution that endorses President Donald Trump's comprehensive 20-point peace plan for Gaza and authorizes the deployment of an international stabilization force in the territory.

The vote on Monday, November 17, 2025, passed with 13 votes in favour and abstentions from permanent members China and Russia, with Russia citing a lack of clarity and insufficient role for the UN.

The resolution includes provisions for an International Stabilization Force (ISF) to secure borders, protect civilians, facilitate humanitarian aid, and demilitarize Gaza. A transitional authority, the “Board of Peace,” is to be established until the end of 2027, with President Trump expected to chair it. Daily operations would be managed by Palestinian technocrats from Gaza. The text also suggests a pathway to Palestinian statehood could emerge once the Palestinian Authority (PA) enacts reforms and Gaza is redeveloped. Reconstruction efforts will be coordinated through a World Bank-backed trust fund. The plan builds upon a fragile ceasefire that began in October 2025.

The resolution provides an international legal basis for a multinational security mission. The Palestinian Authority welcomed the resolution, while Hamas rejected it, refusing to disarm and viewing it as an imposition of foreign control. Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu opposed the mention of a Palestinian state, creating tension with the U.S., though Israeli officials emphasized the importance of disarming Hamas.