The UN Security Council on Monday adopted a controversial US-drafted resolution on Gaza, but the move was overshadowed by the decision of permanent members Russia and China to sit out the vote. By abstaining, the two powers allowed the resolution endorsing President Donald Trump’s peace plan to pass, but their ambassadors immediately followed with sharp criticism. They complained that the plan, which authorizes a “Board of Peace” and an “international stabilization force” (ISF), effectively bypasses the United Nations.
Russian Ambassador Vasily Nebenzya led the critique, accusing the council of “giving its blessing” to a US initiative “on the basis of Washington’s promises.” He warned that the resolution grants “complete control” to the Trump-chaired board and the ISF, new bodies “the modalities of which we know nothing about.” The lack of any defined role for the UN was the primary complaint from both Moscow and Beijing.
The US, which drafted the text, celebrated the outcome as a “historic” moment. Ambassador Mike Waltz argued that the plan “dismantles Hamas’ grip” and “charts a possible pathway for Palestinian self-determination.” The plan’s two main components are the Board of Peace, to oversee reconstruction, and the ISF, which is mandated to conduct a full demilitarization of the enclave by decommissioning weapons.
This demilitarization mandate was immediately rejected by Hamas. The militant group controlling Gaza issued a statement calling the resolution an “international guardianship mechanism” and vowing it “will not disarm.” This defiant stance sets up a direct confrontation with the new international force.
The plan’s passage was secured, according to diplomats, by a key endorsement from the Palestinian Authority, which welcomed the resolution. This support is likely linked to a clause referencing a “pathway to… statehood,” a provision that has, in turn, drawn public opposition from Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. This complex web of opposition and conditional support leaves the plan on unstable footing.
