WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump on Monday celebrated the United Nations Security Council's overwhelming approval of a U.S.-drafted resolution that endorses his ambitious 20-point peace plan for the Gaza Strip, authorizing the creation of a "Board of Peace" chaired by Trump himself and an International Stabilization Force (ISF) to oversee the territory's transition from conflict to reconstruction.
In a post on his Truth Social platform shortly after the vote, Trump described the decision as a "historic" milestone that could usher in global peace.
"Congratulations to the World on the incredible Vote of the United Nations Security Council, just moments ago, acknowledging and endorsing the board of peace, which will be chaired by me, and include the most powerful and respected Leaders throughout the World," Trump wrote. He added, "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!"
The president extended thanks to the UN and the 15-member Council, specifically praising supporters including Qatar, Egypt, the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Saudi Arabia, Indonesia, Türkiye, and Jordan for their "strong" backing.
The resolution, formally known as Resolution 2803 (2025), passed with 13 votes in favor, zero against, and abstentions from permanent members Russia and China — a rare show of unity in a body often paralyzed by vetoes. U.S. Ambassador to the UN Mike Waltz, who spearheaded negotiations, hailed the outcome as a "lifeline" for Gaza, describing the enclave as "hell on earth" amid its humanitarian catastrophe. "Today's resolution represents another significant step towards a stable Gaza that will be able to prosper, and an environment that will allow Israel to live in security," Waltz stated during the session.
The measure builds directly on Trump's September 29, 2025, announcement of his 20-point Comprehensive Plan for Gaza, which last month secured initial acceptance from both Israel and Hamas for a ceasefire halting their two-year war and facilitating hostage releases. That conflict, ignited by Hamas's October 7, 2023, attack on southern Israel — which killed about 1,200 people and resulted in 251 hostages taken — has since claimed over 69,000 Palestinian lives, mostly women and children, according to Gaza's Hamas-run health ministry. Israel's subsequent military campaign leveled much of the territory, displacing nearly all of its 2.3 million residents and exacerbating a dire humanitarian crisis marked by famine risks, disease outbreaks, and winter flooding.
At its core, the resolution establishes the Board of Peace as a transitional governance body with international legal personality, tasked with coordinating reconstruction, economic recovery, and humanitarian aid delivery until December 31, 2027 — subject to Council review and coordination with Egypt, Israel, and other stakeholders. The Board, which Trump will chair, will oversee a technocratic Palestinian committee handling day-to-day administration, while collaborating with the Palestinian Authority on reforms. It also authorizes the ISF, a multinational peacekeeping coalition under unified command, to deploy as early as January 2026 for an initial two-year mandate. The force's duties include securing borders, stabilizing security, facilitating aid flows, training a vetted Palestinian police unit, and — most contentiously — demilitarizing Gaza by dismantling Hamas's infrastructure and decommissioning weapons from non-state groups.
The text explicitly calls on UN member states and organizations to contribute personnel, equipment, and funds to the Board and ISF, granting full recognition to their actions. Potential troop contributors include Muslim-majority nations like Indonesia, Azerbaijan, Pakistan, and Türkiye, though Israel has voiced opposition to Turkish and Pakistani involvement due to historical tensions. No firm commitments have been announced, but a joint statement from key Arab backers — Qatar, Egypt, UAE, Saudi Arabia, Indonesia, Pakistan, Jordan, and Türkiye — urged "swift adoption" of the resolution last Friday.
To secure broad support, U.S. negotiators incorporated language on a "credible pathway to Palestinian self-determination and statehood," contingent on Palestinian Authority reforms and Gaza's redevelopment progress. It also commits Washington to facilitating Israeli-Palestinian dialogue on a "political horizon for peaceful coexistence." This concession addressed Arab demands for a two-state vision, absent in Trump's original plan, and helped avert a Russian veto. Russia had circulated a rival 10-point counterproposal emphasizing immediate Palestinian statehood and West Bank-Gaza unification under the Palestinian Authority, but ultimately abstained to avoid derailing momentum.
Chinese Ambassador Fu Cong echoed concerns over the resolution's vagueness on modalities and lack of robust Security Council oversight, but abstained in solidarity with global calls for de-escalation. Russian Ambassador Vasily Nebenzya criticized it as "giving complete control over the Gaza Strip to the Board of Peace and the ISF, the modalities of which we know nothing about so far." Algeria's Ambassador Amar Bendjama, speaking for the Arab Group, thanked Trump for his "personal engagement" in the ceasefire but stressed that "genuine peace... cannot be achieved without justice for the Palestinian people who have waited for decades for the establishment of their independent State."
Reactions from key parties were mixed. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, facing pressure from his far-right coalition, reiterated opposition to any Palestinian statehood framework, warning it could "reward terrorism." Yet, Israel quietly supported the resolution's demilitarization clauses, with Netanyahu stating Gaza "will be demilitarized, and Hamas will be disarmed — either the easy way or the hard way." The Palestinian Authority welcomed the vote as a step toward reforms and statehood, issuing a supportive statement Friday.
Hamas, however, condemned the resolution as "an attempt to impose international guardianship over Gaza and promote a vision biased toward the occupation," vowing resistance to disarmament. UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres's spokesperson called the adoption "an important step in the consolidation of the ceasefire," urging all sides to uphold it amid sporadic border clashes.
The vote caps weeks of intense diplomacy, including Trump's direct outreach to regional leaders and U.S. concessions on statehood language to win over abstainers. It also aligns with broader U.S. efforts to normalize Arab-Israeli ties, with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman scheduled to meet Trump at the White House on Tuesday to discuss funding for Gaza's estimated $90 billion reconstruction. The World Bank is poised to support long-term redevelopment, starting with immediate aid to address Gaza's acute needs, where over 90% of residents face food insecurity.
Analysts view the resolution as a diplomatic coup for Trump, providing legal cover for the ISF and Board while sidestepping immediate enforcement challenges. "This is just the beginning," Waltz emphasized, signaling upcoming announcements on Board membership and ISF deployments. Yet, uncertainties loom: Hamas's rejection raises risks of renewed violence, and Israel's West Bank raids continue, underscoring the fragility of the truce. As Gaza enters winter with tents flooding and aid convoys stalled, the resolution offers hope — but implementation will test the international community's resolve.
Trump concluded his post: "The members of the Board, and many more exciting announcements, will be made in the coming weeks." For Palestinians and Israelis alike, the path from rubble to renewal hinges on turning words into action.
