UNITED NATIONS — The United Nations on Monday approved the Trump administration’s plan to secure and govern Gaza, marking a key step in international support for U.S. efforts to guide the war-torn territory toward stability and peace after two years of conflict.
The resolution authorizes an international stabilization force to provide security, oversees a transitional authority led by President Donald Trump, and envisions a possible pathway toward an independent Palestinian state.
“This will go down as one of the biggest approvals in the history of the United Nations, will lead to further peace all over the world, and is a moment of true historic proportion,” Trump wrote on social media.
The vote endorses Trump’s 20-point ceasefire plan, building on the fragile truce he helped broker with international allies. Tens of thousands of people were killed and much of Gaza was destroyed during the Israel-Hamas war, making the restoration of stability a pressing priority.
The proposed transitional authority, called the Board of Peace, would be headed by Trump and would be supported by a broad mandate for the international stabilization force, including oversight of borders, security, and demilitarization of the territory. Authorization for both the board and the force is set to expire at the end of 2027.
Arab and other Muslim nations interested in contributing troops had made U.N. authorization a condition for participation. Russia and China abstained from the 13-0 vote, while Hamas opposed the plan, saying it does not meet the Palestinian people’s political and humanitarian needs.
U.S. Ambassador to the U.N. Mike Waltz said the resolution begins a new course for the Middle East. “Today’s resolution represents another significant step toward a stable Gaza that will be able to prosper and an environment that will allow Israel to live in security,” he said.
The approval followed nearly two weeks of negotiations, during which Arab nations and the Palestinians pushed the United States to strengthen language on Palestinian self-determination. The resolution, however, does not set a timeline or guarantee for statehood, noting only that it may be possible after reconstruction and reforms in Gaza and the Palestinian Authority.
The U.S. revised the text to state that “the conditions may finally be in place for a credible pathway to Palestinian self-determination and statehood” after these steps. It also commits to establishing a dialogue between Israel and the Palestinians for a political horizon of peaceful coexistence.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu continues to oppose Palestinian statehood, a stance echoed by his governing coalition despite the resolution’s language on a possible pathway to independence.
Support from Arab and Muslim nations was crucial for adoption of the resolution, with countries such as Qatar, Egypt, the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Indonesia, Pakistan, Jordan, and Turkey calling for “swift adoption” of the U.S. proposal.
The international stabilization force will assist with border security, oversee a vetted Palestinian police force, and coordinate humanitarian aid while ensuring compliance with international law. Israeli forces are expected to withdraw in phases, linked to demilitarization milestones and timelines agreed upon with the stabilization force and ceasefire guarantors.
Hamas, however, criticized the plan, saying giving the force a role in disarmament would compromise its neutrality and turn it into a party to the conflict. Trump said members of the Board of Peace will be named in the coming weeks, with further announcements expected regarding the implementation of the plan.
Edgardo Hernal started college at UP Diliman and received his BA in Economics from San Sebastian College, Manila, and Masters in Information Systems Management from Keller Graduate School of Management of DeVry University in Oak Brook, IL. He has 25 years of copy editing and management experience at Thomson West, a subsidiary of Thomson Reuters.
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