The United Nations Security Council (UNSC) on Monday approved a US-drafted resolution endorsing President Donald Trump’s 20-point plan aimed at ending the ongoing conflict in Gaza. The measure also authorises the deployment of an international stabilisation force (ISF) to the Palestinian enclave, a move seen as critical to facilitating reconstruction and ensuring a ceasefire.
The resolution passed with 13 votes in favour, including Pakistan, while Russia and China abstained. Moscow’s decision not to veto the text was notable, as earlier indications suggested it might block the measure. The resolution provides a framework for the Board of Peace, a transitional governance body tasked with overseeing Gaza’s reconstruction and economic recovery.
Trump’s plan, annexed to the resolution, calls for the demilitarisation of Gaza, including the decommissioning of weapons and the dismantling of military infrastructure, under the supervision of the ISF. The initiative builds on a preliminary agreement reached last month between Israel and Hamas, which included a ceasefire and a hostage-release deal.
US Ambassador to the UN, Mike Waltz, welcomed the council’s decision, describing the resolution as “historic and constructive.” He said it represents “another significant step” toward stabilising Gaza and creating conditions in which Israel can live securely. Waltz stressed that the ISF’s role in securing the enclave would complement international investment mechanisms aimed at the territory’s reconstruction and development.
Hamas rejected the resolution, arguing that it undermines Palestinian rights and seeks to impose an international trusteeship. The group warned that assigning the ISF responsibilities, including disarming resistance factions, compromises the force’s neutrality and effectively sides with Israel in the conflict.
The Gaza Strip has suffered extensive devastation after two years of fighting that began with Hamas’s October 7, 2023, attack on Israel. The resolution notes that a pathway to Palestinian self-determination and statehood may become viable once the Palestinian Authority implements reforms and Gaza’s redevelopment progresses. Israel, however, has firmly rejected the notion of Palestinian statehood on any territory.
Pakistan, which voted in favour of the resolution, said its decision was guided by the imperative to stop the bloodshed, protect civilians, and maintain the ceasefire. Ambassador Asim Iftikhar Ahmad emphasised that Islamabad’s vote aimed to enable humanitarian relief, reconstruction, and a complete Israeli withdrawal from Gaza.
Ambassador Ahmad highlighted Pakistan’s efforts during negotiations, noting that the country supported Arab amendments and proposed changes to align the resolution with international legitimacy on the Palestinian question. He welcomed the inclusion of provisions calling for a maintained ceasefire and regular reporting to the UNSC but cautioned that key issues remain unresolved, including a clear political path to Palestinian statehood and the central role of the Palestinian Authority in governance and reconstruction.
He reiterated Pakistan’s longstanding policy that any peace initiative must ultimately lead to a sovereign, independent, and contiguous Palestinian state based on pre-1967 borders with Al-Quds Al-Sharif as its capital. He underscored that existing UNSC resolutions remain fully valid and must not be undermined by new measures.
Ahmad stressed that the Board of Peace should serve only as a temporary oversight body, with its mandate expiring in 2027 unless renewed, while executive authority in Gaza should remain with Palestinian institutions. He said the ISF’s stabilising role would be effective only under a UN-consistent mandate and through a negotiated process with the unified Palestinian Authority.
The ambassador warned that unilateral violations of the ceasefire could jeopardise the entire process, noting that more than 69,000 Palestinians had been killed over the past two years. He praised the October Sharm-el-Sheikh summit, where Egypt, Qatar, Türkiye, and the US signed the peace agreement that underpins the current plan, as a “ray of hope” for ending the conflict.
Concluding his address, Ambassador Ahmad reaffirmed Pakistan’s solidarity with the Palestinian people, describing their struggle as both a shared anguish and a cause for pride. He emphasised that Pakistan would continue to support Palestinians’ right to self-determination until it is fully realised, while calling on the international community to uphold its responsibilities in ensuring a credible, time-bound path toward Palestinian statehood.
Leave a comment