ALWAGHT- The UN Security Council has approved a US-drafted resolution to set up an International Stabilization Force (ISF) in the Gaza Strip.
The UN Security Council on Monday adopted a US-drafted resolution endorsing President Donald Trump’s Gaza plan, authorizing the creation of an International Stabilization Force (ISF) that would include Muslim-majority countries such as Egypt, Indonesia, and Azerbaijan. The force is intended to oversee Gaza’s security, supervise demilitarization, facilitate aid delivery, and operate under a unified command as Israel phases out its presence, while a transitional administration coordinates reconstruction through a World Bank-backed trust fund.
Hamas immediately rejected the resolution, arguing that it imposes international control, fails to protect Palestinian rights, and risks disarming resistance movements. The group emphasized that any international deployment should be limited to Gaza’s borders under UN supervision, warning that granting the force roles inside the Strip would compromise its neutrality and make it a party to the conflict in favor of Israel.
Russia and China abstained from the 13-0 vote, with both countries and some Arab states opposing the US plan over the proposed “Board of Peace” transitional administration, the absence of a role for the Palestinian Authority, and unclear timelines for Israeli withdrawal and a pathway to an independent Palestinian state. The Russian draft, in contrast, calls only for UN options on an international stabilization force and omits the Board of Peace.
Despite these objections, the US pushed forward with the resolution, stressing the urgency of deploying the ISF to secure Gaza. The resolution follows last month’s US-brokered ceasefire between Hamas and Israel, which took effect on October 10, aiming to end hostilities in Gaza. However, violations by Israel—including airstrikes, incursions, and arrests—have continued, with further stages of Trump’s 20-point Gaza plan set to be negotiated later.
