U.N. Secretary-General António Guterres speaks in Doha about the need for full legitimacy for a Gaza stabilization force under a U.N. mandate. Image: International Crisis Group.
(The Post News)– The United States has circulated a draft resolution to the U.N. Security Council that would authorize an international stabilization force in Gaza for at least two years, a major move in President Donald Trump’s plan to end two years of devastating war between Israel and Hamas.
Two U.S. officials, speaking on condition of anonymity due to the sensitive diplomacy, told The Associated Press that the draft text circulated Tuesday offers a framework that calls for the security of Gaza, disarmament of militant groups, and support for reconstruction. They said the draft represents only an opening salvo in tough negotiations among the 15 Security Council members and regional partners.
A Mandate for Peace and Legitimacy
Arab and Muslim-majority countries, considering troop contributions, insist that the mission must carry U.N. legitimacy. “What we believe is that whatever entity that is created in Gaza should have the legitimacy of a mandate from the Security Council,” U.N. Secretary-General António Guterres said Tuesday in Doha.
In an interview with Al Jazeera Arabic, Guterres warned that the fragile ceasefire in Gaza remains “extremely delicate” and urged full international support. “It is important the force that is created have full international legitimacy to deal with the parties and the population of Gaza,” he said.
A draft resolution forms the backbone of a 20-point Trump Gaza peace plan, and it proposes an ISF to operate, under U.N. authorization, until 2027, along with Egypt, Israel, and a new Palestinian-led Board of Peace to work toward maintaining order, securing borders, and overseeing the delivery of humanitarian aid.
The ISF would “stabilize the security environment in Gaza by ensuring the demilitarization of the Gaza Strip and the permanent decommissioning of weapons from non-state armed groups.”
“An enforcement force, not a peacekeeping mission,” is how one U.S. official described the ISF, adding that it could use force to disarm Hamas if the group refused to disarm voluntarily.
The plan also encourages the full resumption of aid operations by the U.N., Red Cross, and Red Crescent, while it strives to ensure that supplies are not diverted for military purposes.
The U.S. is in an uphill battle for approval. China and Russia, which are both permanent Security Council members, could block the proposal with vetoes. According to diplomats, Washington is refining the language in a bid to dodge confrontation while keeping support from allies such as the U.K. and France.
Meanwhile, another complicating factor is Israel’s refusal to accept Turkey’s participation in that stabilization force. Ankara, which played a key role in mediating the current ceasefire, supports the leading role of Muslim countries in the reconstruction of Gaza.
“Our principle is that Palestinians should govern the Palestinians,” Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan said after a regional summit in Istanbul with the ministers of Saudi Arabia, Qatar, the UAE, Jordan, Pakistan, and Indonesia. “Nobody wants to see a new system of tutelage emerge.”
Fidan further added, “Hamas is ready to hand Gaza to a committee of Palestinians,” suggesting a possible shift toward broader Palestinian governance.
Fragile Truce Under Strain
A ceasefire negotiated by Trump on October 10 ended two years of violence, but the truce is precarious. Gaza health officials say that continued Israeli strikes have killed hundreds, while Israel blames Hamas for sporadic attacks and delaying the return of hostages’ remains.
On Wednesday, Israel handed over the bodies of 15 Palestinians in continuing exchanges under the truce, which also saw it receive the remains of Israeli soldier Itay Chen, killed in the Hamas-led October 7, 2023, assault. The war, sparked by the 2023 attack by Hamas, which killed about 1,200 Israelis and led to 251 hostages, has left Gaza in ruins.
More than 68,800 Palestinians have died since the conflict started, per Gaza’s Health Ministry. Israel contests the figure but does not offer any alternative data. The Trump administration has ruled out deploying US troops but is discussing troop contributions with Indonesia, Egypt, Qatar, the UAE, Turkey, and Azerbaijan. Adoption of the resolution would require nine affirmative votes and no vetoes from the five permanent members.
Guterres praised the U.S. for its role in helping secure the truce but warned that only full international legitimacy can transform it into lasting peace. “It was essential to stop the war and release the hostages,” he said. “But this is all very fragile.”
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