CaliToday (18/11/2025): A 'Board of Peace' headed by President Trump is authorized, but Hamas and Israel immediately criticize core elements of the fragile deal.
UNITED NATIONS — The U.N. Security Council on Monday passed a significant U.S.-brokered resolution aimed at securing a lasting peace in Gaza, overcoming deep divisions to authorize an international stabilization force and outline a future path toward Palestinian statehood.
The resolution, a cornerstone of President Donald Trump's 20-point peace plan, was adopted with a 13-0 vote. In a major diplomatic victory for Washington, both Russia and China abstained, choosing not to use their veto power to kill the measure despite circulating a rival resolution just last week.
The vote is the most critical step yet in shoring up a fragile ceasefire that began on October 10, following a devastating two-year war. The authorization is seen as essential for Arab and Muslim nations who have expressed willingness to contribute troops to the stabilization force, but only with a clear U.N. mandate.
However, the plan immediately ran into fierce headwinds. Hamas slammed the resolution as a biased effort to disarm them, while Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu reiterated his vow to oppose the creation of a Palestinian state, a key component of the plan.
Trump's "Board of Peace"
In an unconventional move, the resolution establishes a transitional authority named the "Board of Peace," which President Trump himself will chair.
The resolution gives this board and the new stabilization force a wide-ranging mandate that includes "overseeing the borders, providing security and demilitarizing the territory." The authorization for both entities is set to expire at the end of 2027.
President Trump celebrated the vote on social media moments after its passage.
"Congratulations to the World on the incredible Vote of the United Nations Security Council... acknowledging and endorsing the BOARD OF PEACE, which will be chaired by me, and include the most powerful and respected Leaders throughout the World," Mr. Trump wrote. "The members of the Board, and many more exciting announcements, will be made in the coming weeks."
A Ceasefire on the Brink
The U.N. vote comes against the backdrop of a shaky truce. The war, ignited by Hamas's terror attack on October 7, 2023, which killed 1,200 in Israel, has led to a two-year Israeli offensive that the Hamas-run Gaza Health Ministry claims has killed over 69,000 Palestinians.
The ceasefire has been threatened by numerous accusations of violations:
Hostages: While living hostages were returned, Hamas failed to hand over all deceased hostages, citing the difficulty of recovering remains amid the rubble. Prime Minister Netanyahu labeled this a violation.
Violence: Flare-ups have continued, including Israeli airstrikes which it claimed were retaliations for Hamas attacks on its forces.
Humanitarian Aid: International advocates accuse Israel of failing to deliver the full amount of aid promised in the deal.
Rejection from Hamas and Israel
The plan's central pillars are already under attack from the main parties.
Hamas issued a scathing rejection, focusing on the mandate to disarm them. The U.S. resolution authorizes the force "to use all necessary measures" U.N. language for military force to ensure "the permanent decommissioning of weapons from non-state armed groups."
"Assigning the international force with tasks and roles inside the Gaza Strip, including disarming the resistance, strips it of its neutrality, and turns it into a party to the conflict in favor of the occupation," Hamas said in a statement.
The group insisted any international force must be stationed only on the borders under full U.N. supervision.
Meanwhile, Prime Minister Netanyahu was incensed by revised language on Palestinian statehood. After pressure from Arab nations, the U.S. strengthened the text to state that after reforms and redevelopment, "the conditions may finally be in place for a credible pathway to Palestinian self-determination and statehood."
On Sunday, Netanyahu vowed to "oppose any attempt to establish a Palestinian state," asserting it would reward Hamas and create a terror state on Israel's border.
The Diplomatic Path Forward
Despite the rejections, the resolution's adoption hinged on a rare coalition of support. The U.S. mission successfully rallied key regional players, distributing a joint statement on Friday from Qatar, Egypt, the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Indonesia, Pakistan, Jordan, and Turkey all calling for the "swift adoption" of the plan.
This backing is crucial, as these nations are the most likely to provide the troops and financing for the stabilization force.
Russia's rival proposal, which included stronger language on a Palestinian state and sought to strip out references to Trump's "Board of Peace," was ultimately sidelined.
The newly authorized stabilization force is now tasked with coordinating the withdrawal of Israeli forces from Gaza, a process the resolution links to "milestones and timeframes linked to demilitarization" that must be agreed upon by all parties.