UN Adopts Sweeping US Plan for Gaza, Authorizing International Stabilization Force

The UN Security Council on Monday adopted a wide-ranging, US-drafted resolution outlining the future governance and security arrangements for Gaza, marking the most significant international intervention in the territory since the terrorist massacre of October 7, 2023. The resolution passed with a 13-0 vote, with Russia and China choosing to abstain rather than veto, allowing the American plan to move forward.

US Ambassador to the United Nations, Mike Waltz, framed the vote as a pivotal moment, stating immediately before the vote: "We stand at a crossroads. Today, we have the power to douse the flames and light a path to peace."

Key Components of the Resolution

The resolution, which endorses US President Donald Trump’s 20-point plan for Gaza, formally authorizes several major initiatives:

Israeli Ambassador Danny Danon endorsed the focus on disarmament, stating, "The demilitarization of Hamas is a basic condition of the peace agreement. There will be no future in Gaza as long as Hamas possesses weapons." However, questions remain regarding the responsibility for forcibly disarming Hamas should the terrorist group refuse to comply.

International Support and Political Disagreements

Waltz strongly emphasized the broad international coalition backing the plan, noting that a vast majority of regional stakeholders supported the measure. "If the region most affected, the Arab nations, the Muslim-majority nations, the Palestinians and the Israelis, can accept this resolution, how could anyone be against it?" he asked the council. Endorsements reportedly came from over a dozen European heads of state, Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas, and a coalition of Arab states aligned with Trump.

Despite this support, the resolution was not without controversy:

Hamas Condemnation

The Hamas terrorist organization quickly and unequivocally rejected the resolution, condemning it for imposing what it called an "international guardianship mechanism" over Gaza.

Hamas stated that such oversight mechanisms are unacceptable and insisted that "Resistance to occupation by all means is a legitimate right" and that the "weapons of resistance are tied to the existence of the occupation." Hamas spokesman Hazem Qassem said the resolution does not serve the goal of stability because it grants "guardianship to non-Palestinian entities over the Palestinian reality" without waiting for internal Palestinian arrangement.

Waltz previously highlighted the critical choice facing the region: Hamas control or a prolonged Israeli military presence, arguing that the latter would jeopardize the expansion of the Abraham Accords, which he called the current administration's "number one objective." The successful implementation of the ISF and the effective disarmament of Hamas will determine whether this UN action is a true diplomatic breakthrough or the start of a protracted struggle.