US requests UN approval for an international force in Gaza until 2027

US Submits Gaza Plan to UN Security Council

The United States has presented a comprehensive plan to the UN Security Council aimed at establishing a long-term, multi-national security force in Gaza, with a proposed duration extending until at least 2027.

According to the administration, this move is crucial for executing President Donald Trump’s 20-Point Plan, a significant initiative that places the United Nations at the forefront of security deliberations in the Middle East.

The U.S. Mission to the UN stated that the proposal was crafted with insights from nations including Qatar, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Turkey, and the UAE. The goal is to implement “President Trump’s historic 20-point comprehensive plan,” which received support from over 20 countries during a summit held in Sharm el-Sheikh on October 13.

Negotiations with members of the Security Council kicked off in early November to create an international stabilization force aimed at fostering a safe and prosperous environment for Palestinians in Gaza, free from Hamas influence. The mission underscored the fragility of the current ceasefire, warning that any delay could lead to severe and preventable repercussions for the Palestinian people.

Details emerging from Axios highlight the proposal’s scope, noting that the draft resolution, although marked as “confidential but unclassified,” seeks to implement an international security presence in Gaza for a minimum of two years, with possible extensions until the end of 2027. U.S. officials expressed intentions to vote on the resolution in the near future and possibly deploy the first troops by January, characterizing them as “an enforcement force, not a peacekeeping force.”

Robert Satloff, head of the Washington Institute for Near East Policy, explained that U.S. involvement at the UN is partly due to requests from countries willing to contribute troops, necessitating a Security Council mandate. This inclusion allows them a political framework to support the stabilization effort.

He acknowledged Israel’s concerns over UN involvement yet noted they recognize the necessity of U.S. approval to advance the 20-Point Plan. He conveyed that while there are considerable challenges ahead, including varied interpretations of disarmament, there remains a genuine desire among involved parties for a successful resolution.

In contrast, Anne Baevsky, a director at the Touro Institute for Human Rights, argued that the U.S. submission to the UN compromises Israel’s security and reflects a troubling shift in U.S. foreign policy concerning its stance on the Arab-Israeli conflict. She criticized the draft for lacking condemnation of Hamas and not affirming Israel’s right to self-defense.

Meanwhile, Russia has countered with its own proposal advocating for an immediate ceasefire and the withdrawal of foreign forces from Gaza, emphasizing humanitarian aid and Palestinian leadership in the reconstruction process, without external control or demilitarization terms.