UN Security Council backs Trump’s Gaza peace plan, clears stabilisation force

The UN Security Council has given its approval to a US-backed proposal aimed at ending the long-running Gaza conflict, endorsing President Donald Trump’s “Comprehensive Plan to End the Gaza Conflict” and authorising the formation of an international stabilisation force to secure conditions on the ground. The resolution, drafted by Washington, was adopted late Monday with 13 members voting in favour, while China and Russia abstained.

The Council's endorsement marks one of the most significant multilateral developments on Gaza in years, attempting to address not only the immediate ceasefire and security situation but also the political, humanitarian and economic dimensions that have fuelled instability in the enclave.

At the core of the resolution is Trump’s plan, unveiled on 29 September, which proposes restructuring Gaza into what the US describes as a deradicalised and demilitarised zone, free from threats to Israel and more viable for its own residents. The proposal outlines a multi-stage process that includes halting hostilities, releasing hostages, withdrawing Israeli forces to pre-determined lines, and launching an internationally funded reconstruction effort.

A central feature of the plan is the creation of a Board of Peace (BoP) , a transitional body with international legal standing. According to the US, the Board will steer Gaza’s reconstruction, supervise the implementation of reforms, and coordinate global financing. Trump has said he will personally chair the Board, supported by what he described as some of the “most respected leaders” around the world.

In a social media statement after the vote, Trump hailed the Council’s decision as a “moment of true historic proportion,” claiming it would be remembered as one of the most consequential approvals in UN history. He added that the broad acceptance of the Board of Peace by the international community would help “bring peace to the world.”

The adoption of the resolution came a day ahead of Trump’s scheduled White House meeting with Saudi Crown Prince and Prime Minister Mohammed bin Salman, a key regional figure whose support is considered crucial for any major reshaping of Gaza’s political and economic landscape.

The UN leadership welcomed the approval. Secretary-General António Guterres, through his spokesperson Stéphane Dujarric, called the resolution an important milestone in strengthening the fragile ceasefire in Gaza. He urged all parties to honour their commitments and highlighted the need to quickly move towards the second phase of the US plan, which aims to restart a political process linked to a two-state solution. Guterres also stressed that the UN is prepared to scale up humanitarian operations and assist in stabilising conditions on the ground.

Senior US officials described the vote as a turning point. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said the Council had taken a “historic step” toward creating a Gaza that is peaceful, prosperous and governed by Palestinians rather than by Hamas. US Ambassador to the UN Mike Waltz underlined that the Board of Peace would anchor international efforts by overseeing humanitarian deliveries, development projects, and a technocratic Palestinian committee responsible for day-to-day administration. He added that the resolution establishes a framework for troop-contributing nations to join the International Stabilisation Force and outlines avenues for global financial institutions to drive long-term investment.

Russia, however, expressed deep reservations. Its Permanent Representative Vassily Nebenzia criticised the resolution as a risky and opaque experiment, warning that the Council was effectively placing Gaza under the authority of an unfamiliar transitional body and a foreign stabilisation force. He cautioned that the plan should not become a cover for unilateral political engineering by Washington and Israel, nor should it undermine prospects for a genuine two-state solution.

The Comprehensive Plan sets out a clear sequence of security steps: if both Israel and Palestinian representatives accept the proposal, all fighting is to stop immediately. Israeli forces would pull back to agreed positions as preparations for a hostage exchange begin, with all captives both alive and deceased to be returned within 72 hours of Israel’s public acceptance. Military operations on all sides would remain frozen until the full staged withdrawal is executed.

Beyond the security elements, the plan includes an ambitious economic programme described as the “Trump economic development plan” that promises to rebuild Gaza through a special economic zone offering preferential tariffs and trade access. The proposal emphasises that no resident will be forced to leave the enclave and that all who choose to exit will retain the right to return. “We will encourage people to stay and offer them the opportunity to build a better Gaza,” the plan states.

The initiative draws its urgency from decades of conflict marked by recurring wars, crippling blockades, political fragmentation, and an expanding humanitarian crisis. With the Security Council now formally backing the US vision, attention turns to whether the parties on the ground and the broader region will align with the ambitious framework that seeks to reshape Gaza’s future.