The UN Security Council has formally backed a set of proposals advanced by Donald Trump aimed at establishing long-term stability in Gaza, including the introduction of an international security mission and a potential pathway toward a Palestinian state.
The decision passed with 13 votes in favour, while China and Russia abstained. Speaking after the vote, the US representative, Mike Waltz, said the resolution marked “a new course in the Middle East for Israelis and Palestinians and all the people of the region alike”.
References to eventual Palestinian statehood were included in order to secure broad support from Arab and Muslim-majority nations, which are expected to play a central role in supplying troops for the proposed international stabilisation force (ISF).
Despite this, the Israeli prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, reiterated his government’s firm rejection of a Palestinian state shortly before the vote, casting uncertainty over how the approved measures might be implemented on the ground.
In response to the outcome, Hamas dismissed the plan as an externally imposed “international guardianship mechanism” and declared that it had no intention of relinquishing its weapons.
Supporters of the resolution argued that it should immediately open the way for remaining restrictions on humanitarian assistance to be removed, enable the formation of the ISF to take over security responsibilities following any Israeli military exit, and initiate rebuilding efforts — with a potential “pathway to Palestinian self-determination and statehood”.
The provision for Palestinian statehood was added later in negotiations, replacing an earlier draft that lacked such language. Even so, the phrasing remains cautious, noting only that once the Palestinian Authority undergoes reforms and reconstruction has begun, “the conditions may finally be in place for a credible pathway to Palestinian self-determination and statehood.”
This fell short of the explicit commitments sought by Arab, Islamic and some European states. However, many representatives said they were willing to accept the compromise to preserve the current truce and swiftly address the urgent needs of Gaza’s 2.2 million residents.
“The transitional arrangements that we embark on today must be implemented in accordance with international law and respecting Palestinian sovereignty and self-determination,” James Kariuki, the UK chargé d’affaires said.
“We submitted what we considered essential amendments to ensure balance and integrity in the text. Some of those proposals were taken on board,” the Algerian envoy, Amar Bendjama, said.
“Algeria has finally decided to vote in favour of this text, a text that we support its core objective, namely the maintenance of the ceasefire and the creation of conditions enabling the Palestinian people to exercise their immeasurable rights to self-determination and statehood.”
Bendjama also highlighted the importance of the resolution’s annex, saying: “This resolution must be read in its entirety. Its annex is an integral part of it, and all parties must comply with it. It clearly affirms no annexation, no occupation, no forced displacement.”
Although Netanyahu was initially described as having accepted the wording during discussions with Washington, he reversed course after backlash from hardline members of his governing coalition. Over the weekend, he stated: “Our opposition to a Palestinian state on any territory has not changed.”
The resolution represents one of the few coordinated steps by the UN on Gaza after two years of strained diplomacy during which more than 71,000 Palestinians have been killed, alongside accusations of genocide raised by international investigators and rights organisations.
To secure abstentions rather than vetoes from Russia and China, the final text included broad, non-specific formulations that left numerous elements unresolved.
The plan grants overall supervisory authority to a “board of peace” chaired by Trump, though the composition of the board remains unclear. While the board must report to the UN, it is not bound by the organisation’s preferences or by the Palestinian Authority. The resolution also outlines the formation of a Palestinian technocratic committee to manage Gaza’s daily administration, though it is not yet known who might participate.
The ISF mandate empowers the force to disarm militant organisations, including Hamas, yet it remains uncertain whether any nation is prepared to contribute troops for such an undertaking. No country has publicly volunteered forces so far.
Hamas repeated after the vote that it had no intention of surrendering its weapons, raising the possibility of direct confrontation between the ISF and the group.
The reforms required of the Palestinian Authority — a prerequisite for movement toward Palestinian statehood — were also left undefined.
Diplomats from Europe stressed the urgency of identifying the members of the technocratic committee responsible for delivering essential services in Gaza.
Trump hailed the vote on social media as “a moment of true Historic proportion”, saying that “the members of the Board, and many more exciting announcements, will be made in the coming weeks.”
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