UN Security Council Approves U.S.-Backed Gaza Stabilization Force Amidst Divided Global Reaction
UNITED NATIONS – November 17, 2025 – In a significant move with far-reaching implications for the Middle East, the United Nations Security Council today approved a U.S.-backed resolution endorsing President Donald Trump’s comprehensive plan to end the Gaza conflict. Resolution 2803 (2025) authorizes the establishment of a temporary Gaza Stabilization Force (GSF) and a transitional administration known as the Board of Peace (BoP) to oversee security, reconstruction, and governance in the Gaza Strip. The vote, held on Monday, saw 13 member states in favor, with China and Russia abstaining.
This landmark decision marks a critical step in efforts to transition Gaza from two years of devastating conflict towards stability and peace. The resolution, which has been under negotiation for weeks, provides an international legal framework for implementing key aspects of President Trump’s 20-point peace plan, first introduced in September. The plan aims to restore security, ensure humanitarian access, and initiate a sustained process of gaza reconstruction and institutional reform within the war-torn enclave. The approval of the Gaza Stabilization Force is a key component of this plan.
Key Pillars of the Resolution
The U.N. resolution officially welcomes the establishment of the Board of Peace (BoP), a transitional body that will be chaired by President Trump himself. This board is tasked with setting the framework, coordinating funding for reconstruction, and overseeing a transitional governance committee of Palestinian technocrats responsible for day-to-day operations. The BoP, along with the authorized international civil and security presences, will remain in place until December 31, 2027, subject to further Council action, paving the way for a potential gaza stabilization force to operate effectively.
Crucially, the resolution authorizes the creation of a temporary International Stabilization Force (ISF), which will function as the primary Gaza Stabilization Force. This multinational force, comprised of personnel from contributing member states and operating under a unified command acceptable to the Board of Peace, is mandated with a wide range of responsibilities. These include securing Gaza’s borders, protecting civilians, facilitating humanitarian assistance, supporting the training and deployment of a reconstituted Palestinian police force, and overseeing the permanent decommissioning of weapons from Hamas and other armed groups. As the ISF establishes control and stability, Israeli forces are slated to withdraw from Gaza based on agreed-upon standards, milestones, and timeframes linked to demilitarization. The success of the Gaza Stabilization Force is seen as paramount to this withdrawal.
The resolution also includes provisions that envision a possible future pathway to Palestinian self-determination and statehood, contingent on the Palestinian Authority (PA) completing necessary reforms and Gaza’s redevelopment advancing. The United States has pledged to establish a dialogue between Israel and the Palestinians to agree on a political horizon for peaceful coexistence, integral to the broader middle east peace plan.
Global Reactions and Divisions
The adoption of Resolution 2803 (2025) was hailed by U.S. Ambassador to the UN Mike Waltz as “historic and constructive,” charting “a new course in the Middle East”. President Trump himself posted on social media that the approval would “lead to further Peace all over the World, and is a moment of true Historic proportion!”. The approval of the Gaza Stabilization Force is a testament to this new direction.
However, the vote was not without significant opposition and abstentions. China and Russia, permanent members of the Security Council, abstained from voting, voicing concerns that the resolution was “vague and unclear” on critical details regarding the structure and composition of the Board of Peace and the International Stabilization Force. Russia also expressed apprehension about the Board of Peace potentially wielding “complete control” over the Gaza Strip, questioning the mandate of the proposed gaza stabilization force.
Hamas vehemently rejected the resolution, denouncing it as an international “guardianship mechanism” or “trusteeship” that sidesteps Palestinian rights and will, effectively imposing foreign control. The group stated that assigning the ISF disarmament tasks would compromise its neutrality and turn it into a party to the conflict in favor of the occupation, hindering the effectiveness of the gaza conflict resolution process.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu acknowledged the UN approval, praising Trump’s plan and emphasizing its focus on full demilitarization and disarmament. However, he reiterated his government’s firm opposition to any provision that creates a path towards palestinian statehood, a stance that has caused political friction within his coalition.
The Palestinian Authority (PA), on the other hand, welcomed the resolution, expressing readiness to assume full responsibilities in Gaza and cooperate with international efforts to implement the plan and advance a two-state solution. Algeria, speaking on behalf of the Arab Group, voted in favor but stressed that genuine peace could not be achieved without justice for the Palestinian people and the establishment of their independent state.
Path Forward and Lingering Questions
The resolution’s approval is seen by supporters as a crucial starting point for stabilizing Gaza, facilitating reconstruction, and fostering regional peace. The U.S. has emphasized that the resolution is “just the beginning” and aims to dismantle Hamas’s grip, allowing Gaza to rise “free from terror’s shadow, prosperous and secure” through the deployment of the Gaza Stabilization Force.
However, significant challenges lie ahead. The practicalities of disarming Hamas, the willingness of nations to contribute troops to the ISF, and the eventual implementation of a pathway to palestinian statehood remain contentious issues. Critics have also raised concerns that the resolution, while a UN mandate, gives a limited role to the UN Secretariat itself and that the plan may amount to a new form of occupation, overriding Palestinian self-determination, despite the intended role of the Gaza Stabilization Force.
As the world watches news unfold, the coming months will be critical in determining whether this UN resolution, centered around the Gaza Stabilization Force, can translate into tangible peace, security, and a sustainable future for the people of Gaza, or if it will become another chapter in a long and complex regional history of gaza conflict resolution.