Trump administration advancing UN resolution for Gaza security force, source says

By Eugenia Yosef, Tal Shalev, Mostafa Salem, CNN

(CNN) — The Trump administration is working on a United Nations Security Council resolution to deploy a multinational force to Gaza to uphold the US-brokered ceasefire deal, according to a source familiar with the plans.

The details of a temporary security force in charge of demilitarizing Gaza and training a new Palestinian police force are under discussion as part of the work on the resolution, according to the source. US troops would not be part of the force on the ground in Gaza, instead operating in a coordination role outside of the territory.

Early drafts of the resolution have been shared with other members of the Security Council, the source said.

Setting up an international stabilization force (ISF) is a key part of Trump’s 20-point Gaza ceasefire plan, but many of the nations considering taking part have made clear that they would only join under the mandate of a UN resolution.

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said while visiting Israel last month that some of the potential participants would only join the force if it had “some sort of international mandate,” adding that this could take the form of a UN resolution or an “international agreement.”

Once established, the ISF would operate under a unified command in close coordination with Israel and Egypt, the source told CNN. The US has established a coordination center in southern Israel to manage the next phases of the Gaza ceasefire plan, including the planned reconstruction effort and the entry of humanitarian aid. According to US Central Command, nearly 40 different nations and international organizations have representation at the coordination center.

The ISF, working together with a trained Palestinian police force, will stabilize the security situation in Gaza and ensure the demilitarization of the enclave, according to the draft resolution. That includes the destruction of military infrastructure used by Hamas, a step that risks putting the new force in direct conflict with the militant organization, which has worked 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 countries have been reluctant to agree to such a task.

Several Muslim-majority nations that are considering participation in the ISF met in Istanbul on Monday to discuss the mission. Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan, who attended the meeting, told a news conference that the countries will decide whether to participate in the mission depending on the definition of the force 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,” Fidan told a news conference after the meeting.

It’s unclear what role Turkey will play in the force but Israel has made it clear that it will not tolerate the presence of Turkish troops in Gaza.

Israel was reluctant 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 was involved in drafting the resolution and is still trying to influence its wording, the official told CNN.

“At the moment, there aren’t any major issues for us — the question is whether it will stay that way,” the official said. The current working draft does not include any reporting requirement to the Security Council, and Israel wants it to stay that way.

“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, at which point it would require renewal for its mandate in consultation with Israel, Egypt and members of the Security Council.

Lucy Kurtzer-Ellenbogen, a senior fellow with the Middle East Institute, said that ideally an international force would have begun operating the moment the ceasefire went into effect in early October. The agreement calls for the “immediate” deployment of the force.

“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 told CNN.

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