The United Nations Security Council reached a historic consensus on Monday, voting unanimously to adopt a U.S.-drafted resolution concerning the future of Gaza. The resolution passed with a final count of 13-0, as permanent members Russia and China chose to abstain rather than exercise their veto power.
A Mandate for Stabilization and Peace
The resolution formally establishes a mandate for the United States and its international partners to create and implement an international stabilization force in Gaza. It also codifies the creation of what U.S. President Donald Trump has termed a Board of Peace, which he will lead and which is intended to serve as a transitional governmental authority for the region.
Speaking before the crucial vote, U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Mike Waltz set a hopeful tone. "We stand at a crossroads. Today, we have the power to douse the flames and light a path to peace," he told the council members.
Key Provisions and Regional Reactions
The approved text outlines parameters for Israeli troops to withdraw from Gaza, though it allows for some forces to remain in place to guard against the resurgence of terrorist threats. The demilitarization of Hamas is positioned as a central pillar of the agreement.
"The demilitarization of Hamas is a basic condition of the peace agreement," stated Danny Danon, Israel's envoy to the UN, following the vote. "There will be no future in Gaza as long as Hamas possesses weapons."
Ambassador Waltz emphasized the progress already made, noting, "We have a ceasefire that is holding. This plan has already silenced the guns and freed the hostages in this fragile first step. The remaining hostages must come home."
A Pathway to Palestinian Statehood
A significant element of the resolution addresses the long-term political future of the region. It states that conditions may finally be in place for a credible pathway to Palestinian self-determination and statehood. This pathway, however, is contingent upon two key developments: the implementation of reforms within the Palestinian Authority and the advancement of Gaza's reconstruction.
Waltz revealed that the plan has garnered significant regional support, including from more than a dozen European heads of state, Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas, and key Arab allies of the Trump administration. He posed a challenging question to the council: "With this kind of support, I ask you 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?"
Despite the unanimous adoption, the resolution faced hurdles. Moscow had expressed concerns that the plan would grant Washington excessive power over Gaza's future and had drafted an alternative, stripped-down resolution that would have placed control in the hands of UN leadership. Furthermore, Israeli officials have pushed back forcefully against the specific language regarding a Palestinian state, which was a late addition to the final U.S. draft.
A major point that remains unclear is which entity will be responsible for demilitarizing Hamas should the terrorist group refuse to disarm willingly. The resolution does not specify whether this critical task will fall to the new international stabilization force or another body.
