A senior U.S. official said that on Thursday, the United Nations Security Council will begin discussions on a U.S.-proposed resolution supporting President Donald Trump’s Gaza peace plan and approving a two-year mandate for a transitional governing body and an international stabilization force.
The U.S. formally distributed the draft resolution to the 15 members of the council late on Wednesday, stating that it has received regional backing for the text from Saudi Arabia, Turkey, Qatar, Egypt, and the United Arab Emirates. A senior U.S. government official, speaking to Reuters on the condition of anonymity, said, “The message is that if the region supports us on this matter and on how the resolution is structured, then we believe the council should support it as well.”
For a council resolution to pass, it must receive at least nine affirmative votes and avoid vetoes from any of the five permanent members Russia, China, France, Britain, or the United States. When questioned about the possible timing of the vote, the official responded, “The faster we act, the better. We’re looking in terms of weeks rather than months.” “Russia and China will surely share their views, and we’ll consider them as they arise,” the official said. “However, I don’t believe they will obstruct what is likely the most promising peace plan in decades.”
Later on Thursday, Trump informed reporters that the international force would be deployed “very soon.” U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio added that the nations offering to send troops “require this U.N. mandate to proceed with the deployment.”
International Force would have authority to disarm Hamas
According to a draft resolution reviewed by Reuters, the United States has proposed the creation of a Board of Peace Transitional Governance Administration to set up a temporary International Stabilization Force (ISF) in Gaza. The ISF would be authorized to “use all necessary measures” a phrase indicating the use of force to fulfill its mandate.
The ISF’s responsibilities would include protecting civilians and humanitarian aid operations, securing border areas shared with Israel, Egypt, and a newly trained and vetted Palestinian police force, and stabilizing security across Gaza. This would involve demilitarizing the Gaza Strip, including the destruction and prevention of the reconstruction of military, terrorist, and offensive infrastructure, and ensuring the permanent disarmament of non-state armed groups.
A U.S. official stated that the draft resolution grants the ISF the authority to disarm Hamas. However, Washington still expects Hamas to “honor its commitments” and surrender its weapons voluntarily. So far, Hamas has not confirmed whether it will agree to disarm or demilitarize Gaza, a position it has previously rejected.
International Force likely around 20,000 troops
The senior U.S. official indicated that the International Stabilization Force is expected to consist of approximately 20,000 troops. Although the Trump administration has ruled out deploying U.S. soldiers in Gaza, it has been in talks with Indonesia, the United Arab Emirates, Egypt, Qatar, Turkey, and Azerbaijan to contribute forces.
“We’ve maintained consistent contact with potential troop contributors, discussing the kind of mandate and wording they require,” the official said, noting that most countries prefer an international mandate, ideally from the United Nations. The official added that there was no confirmation on whether Israel has excluded any specific countries from participation but affirmed, “We’re in constant discussions with them.”
Israel, however, stated last month that it would not accept Turkish forces operating in Gaza under the U.S. peace plan. About a month ago, Israel and Hamas agreed to the first phase of President Trump’s 20-point Gaza peace plan, which included a ceasefire and hostage release agreement. This 20-point framework is annexed to the current draft U.N. Security Council resolution.
“The clock is ticking. The ceasefire is holding, but it remains fragile,” the U.S. official warned. “We cannot afford to get bogged down in wordsmithing at the council. This is a real test for the United Nations.”
