The Trump administration is working on a United Nations Security Council resolution to deploy a multinational force to Gaza.
The goal is to uphold the US-brokered ceasefire deal, according to a source familiar with the plans.
The specific details of this temporary security force are currently under discussion as part of the resolution’s drafting. The force would be tasked with demilitarizing Gaza and training a new Palestinian police force. Notably, US troops would not be on the ground in Gaza but would instead operate in a coordination role outside of the territory.
Early drafts of the resolution have already been shared with other members of the UN Security Council.
Setting up an International Stabilization Force (ISF) is a key component of the Trump administration’s 20-point Gaza ceasefire plan. However, many nations considering participation have made it clear that they would only join if the mission had a UN mandate.
US Secretary of State, Marco Rubio highlighted this point during a recent visit to Israel, stating that potential participants would require “some sort of international mandate,” which could be a UN resolution or an “international agreement.”
Once established, the ISF would operate under a unified command, working in close coordination with Israel and Egypt. The US has already established a coordination center in southern Israel to manage the next phases of the ceasefire plan, including reconstruction and humanitarian aid.
According to US Central Command, nearly 40 different nations and international organizations are represented at this center.
Working alongside a trained Palestinian police force, the ISF aims to stabilize the security situation and ensure the demilitarization of the enclave.
This includes the destruction of military infrastructure used by Hamas—a step that risks putting the new force in direct conflict with the militant organization as it attempts to re-establish its authority since the ceasefire.
The US-brokered ceasefire plan also calls for the international force to carry out the disarmament of Hamas, but several countries have been reluctant to agree to this specific task.
Several Muslim-majority nations that are considering participation in the ISF recently met to discuss the mission. One Foreign Minister, who attended the meeting, told a news conference that the countries will decide whether to participate based on the force’s definition and the UN mandate.
We are ready to shoulder the burden for peace. We are ready to make any sacrifice. But… it’s crucial that the documents and framework that emerge are of a quality we can clearly support. Therefore, our diplomatic contacts and efforts on this matter continue,” he stated according to a new report by CNN.
Israel was initially hesitant to agree to a UN mandate for the international force but backed down under US pressure, according to a senior Israeli official. Even so, Israel has been involved in drafting the resolution and is still trying to influence its wording.
“At the moment, there aren’t any major issues for us — the question is whether it will stay that way,” the official said, noting that Israel wants to ensure the current working draft does not include any reporting requirement to the Security Council.
“Some countries will try to increase the Security Council’s involvement as much as possible, and Israel will seek to prevent that,” the official added.
Under the draft resolution, the ISF would operate until the end of 2027. Any renewal of its mandate would require consultation with Israel, Egypt, and members of the Security Council.
According to Lucy Kurtzer-Ellenbogen, a senior fellow with the Middle East Institute, an international force ideally would have begun operating the moment the ceasefire went into effect in early October, as the agreement called for “immediate” deployment.
“These matters of composition, lack of clarity around the specifics of the disarmament mandate, and the uncertainties around what interaction and coordination will inevitably entail with the (Israel Defense Forces), undoubtedly raise challenges for launching,” Kurtzer-Ellenbogen said.
