United Nations.

The United Nations Security Council (UNSC) on Monday approved a US plan for Gaza (Gaza Peace Plan), which authorizes the establishment of an international force to provide security in the devastated area. It also paves the way for an independent Palestinian state.

Let us tell you that Russia had presented a rival proposal in opposition to this, it did not participate in the 13-0 voting along with China. The US and other countries hoped that Moscow would not use its veto on the UN’s most powerful body to prevent the resolution from being passed.

troops available for international forces

The vote was an important next step in efforts to secure a fragile ceasefire and improve the future of Gaza after two years of war between Israel and Hamas. Arab and other Muslim countries, which had expressed interest in providing troops for an international force, indicated that their participation required Security Council approval.

Support for 20-point ceasefire plan

The US resolution supports President Donald Trump’s 20-point ceasefire plan, which calls for the establishment of a peace board as the authority, which would be led by Trump. It also authorizes the Stabilization Force and grants it wide-ranging powers, including monitoring the border, providing security and demilitarizing the area. The authority of the board and the force expires at the end of 2027.

Israel and Hamas agreed last month to the first steps of the plan, ending a two-year war and arranging the release of hostages. As of Monday’s vote, the blueprint has moved from a proposal to an endorsed mandate. Now, with the seal of UNSC, this proposal has turned into an international order. This has cleared the way for the formation of a transitional authority.

What’s in the proposal?

It invites UN member states to join the proposed ‘Board of Peace’. This interim body is to direct the reconstruction and guide the economic stabilization of Gaza. The resolution also authorizes demilitarization of the International Stabilization Force, whose mission definition is to disable weapons and destroy military infrastructure.

Opposition to the establishment of a Palestinian state

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu vowed on Sunday to oppose any efforts to establish a Palestinian state. He has long said that creating a Palestinian state would benefit Hamas and ultimately lead to the creation of an even larger Hamas-run state on Israel’s borders. Crucial in the adoption of this resolution was the support of Arab and Muslim countries, who were pressing for a ceasefire and potentially contributing to the international force.

Call for adoption of American proposal

The US Mission to the UN on Friday issued a joint statement with Qatar, Egypt, the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Indonesia, Pakistan, Jordan and Turkey, calling for early adoption of the US resolution. Russia had presented its plan there. The vote comes amid hopes that the fragile ceasefire in Gaza will be maintained after the war that began with Hamas’s surprise attack on southern Israel on October 7, 2023, which killed nearly 1,200 people.

According to the Gaza Health Ministry, more than 69,000 Palestinians have been killed in Israel’s more than two-year offensive. The ministry does not distinguish between civilians and combatants, but says the majority are women and children.