UN Security Council Endorses Trump’s Gaza Peace Plan, Approves Temporary International Force

New York, November 17, 2025 — The United Nations Security Council on Monday adopted a resolution endorsing a U.S.-proposed peace plan for Gaza and authorizing the deployment of a temporary international force in the enclave, following two years of war between Israel and Hamas. Resolution 2803 (2025), sponsored by the United States, passed with 13 votes in favour and none against, while China and Russia abstained. The text of the resolution welcomes the Comprehensive Peace Plan unveiled by U.S. President Donald Trump on September 29, which outlined a 20-point roadmap for ending hostilities and rebuilding Gaza. The plan’s first phase led to a ceasefire between Hamas and Israel several days after its announcement. Creation of Gaza Board of Peace The resolution further welcomes the creation of a Board of Peace (BoP), described as a “transitional administration” responsible for overseeing reconstruction efforts and political stabilisation in Gaza. It authorizes the BoP to establish a temporary International Stabilisation Force (ISF) “to deploy under unified command acceptable to the Board of Peace.” The ISF, the resolution says, will operate “in close consultation and cooperation” with Egypt and Israel, with member states contributing personnel and resources. 📰 Related Story: UN Secretary-General Guterres Urges Swift Deployment of Gaza Peace Force – The UN chief calls for “urgent mobilisation” of resources to stabilise Gaza and rebuild basic services within six months. U.S. Hails ‘New Course’ for the Middle East Speaking after the vote, U.S. Ambassador to the UN, Mike Waltz, thanked Council members for supporting what he called “a new course in the Middle East for Israelis and Palestinians and all the people of the region alike.” “Today’s resolution represents another significant step towards a stable Gaza that will be able to prosper and an environment that will allow Israel to live in security,” Waltz said. He added that the International Stabilisation Force “will help stabilise the security environment, support the demilitarisation of Gaza, dismantle terrorist infrastructure, decommission weapons, and maintain the safety of Palestinian civilians.” 📰 Related Story: Trump’s 20-Point Gaza Plan: Key Provisions and Reactions – A breakdown of the U.S. President’s proposed roadmap and how it aims to balance Israeli security with Palestinian reconstruction. Arab States Back Plan, Call for Justice Algerian Ambassador Amar Bendjama welcomed the initiative and acknowledged the efforts undertaken by President Trump to advance peace in the region. However, he stressed that “genuine peace in the Middle East cannot be achieved without justice for the Palestinian people, who have waited for decades for the establishment of their independent State.” Bendjama noted that the resolution had received broad support from Arab and Muslim countries, adding that “the Palestinian Authority at the highest level has openly welcomed the initiative.” 📰 Related Story: Palestinian Authority Welcomes UN Vote, Calls It ‘First Step Toward Statehood’ – Ramallah officials say the new UN resolution could revive the long-dormant two-state framework. Russia, China Abstain Explaining Russia’s decision to abstain, Ambassador Vasily Nebenzya said the Council was, in essence, “giving its blessing to a U.S. initiative on the basis of Washington’s promises.” He warned that the resolution handed “complete control over the Gaza Strip to the Board of Peace and the ISF, the modalities of which we know nothing about so far.” China also abstained but did not issue an immediate statement following the vote. Background The two-year Gaza war, which began in late 2023, resulted in thousands of casualties and large-scale destruction across the enclave. The newly endorsed U.S. plan seeks to stabilise the territory, initiate reconstruction, and pave the way for eventual Palestinian self-governance under international supervision. The International Stabilisation Force, to be drawn from multiple countries, is expected to begin deployment within weeks, pending agreement on its command structure and mandate duration.

Israel/Palestine War: UN Mourns 101 Staff killed In Gaza

Flags at United Nations (UN) offices around the world are flying at half-mast in memory of the 101 UN staff members killed so far in the Gaza war. Staff held a minute’s silence to mourn and honour colleagues from UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) who were killed in the war. The UN relief body said in a statement on Monday that “the UNRWA death toll, already the highest in UNhistory, has continued to increase.” It added that the dead were among the 13,000 UNRWA staff working in Gaza, many of them killed with their families. They were teachers, school principals, health workers, including a gynaecologist, engineers, support staff and a psychologist, the agency said. Tom White, the Director of UNRWA in the Gaza Strip said “UNRWA staff in Gaza appreciates the UN lowering the flags around the world. “In Gaza however, we have to keep the UN flag flying high as a sign that we are still standing and serving the people of Gaza,’’ White said from Rafah. Meanwhile, UN agencies in the Middle East, Africa, Asia, Europe and elsewhere posted photos on social media of flags at half-mast in front of and on their office buildings. 

Israeli-Hamas Conflict: UN Decries Civilians Casualties After School Attack

The head of the UN Palestine refugee agency (UNRWA) Philippe Lazzarini has expressed concern for the safety of civilians as UNRWA school was attached The UN envoy said at least six people were killed when an UNRWA school being used as a shelter, was hit in the al-Maghazi camp in the middle region of the embattled Gaza Strip on Monday. “Dozens were injured (including UNRWA staff) and severe structural damage was caused to the school. “The numbers are likely to be higher. This is outrageous, and it again shows a flagrant disregard for the lives of civilians,” he said in a statement No place is safe in Gaza anymore, he warned, stressing that it was hit as Israeli airstrikes and bombardment continues. “At least 4,000 people have taken refuge in this UNRWA school turned shelter. They had and still have nowhere else to go.” He said that the agency has provided the coordinates of its facilities to “relevant parties” on a daily basis. The UN human rights office (OHCHR) issued a fresh alert on Tuesday for civilians left in northern Gaza, amid ongoing military operations in the enclave ahead of an anticipated full-scale Israeli response to Hamas’s October 7 attack. The past 10 days of conflict have claimed the lives of 4,200 people, forced more than one million individuals to flee their homes following an order from the Israeli authorities and left large areas in the Gaza Strip “reduced to rubble”, according to the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR). Meanwhile, the Assistant Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs, Joyce Msuya, on Monday, briefed Member States on the Gaza crisis, and said the situation “can only be described as an utter catastrophe.” She added that as every hour passes, the restoration of essential supplies and services, “becomes every more critical.” She said the UN would continue to identify urgent solutions for getting aid into Gaza. UN Secretary- General Antonio Guterres will travel to the Egyptian capital Cairo on Thursday, according to his Spokesperson, Stephane Dujarric to engage with President Abdel Fattah Al Sisi on the Gaza crisis. In southern Gaza where a humanitarian emergency is already playing out, UN relief agencies reiterated their call for a secure and reliable humanitarian corridor to deliver stockpiled aid into the Occupied Territory. Both Egypt and Israel have faced multiple calls from the UN and international community to protect non-combatants impacted by the war. “We call for unimpeded access, safe passage for desperately needed humanitarian supplies to Gaza,” Ms Abeer Etefa, UN World Food Programme (WFP) Regional Communications Lead for the Middle East and North Africa, said. Some 300 tonnes of food “are either at or on the way to the Egyptian border in Rafah,” Etefa said. “That’s enough to feed around a quarter million people for one week.” According to OHCHR, “a large number” of women and children are among the dead in Gaza, as well as at least 11 Palestinian journalists, 28 medical staff and 14 UN colleagues. “It remains unclear how many more bodies may be buried in the rubble – with many families missing loved ones, terrified about their uncertain fate,” Ravina Shamdasani, OHCHR Spokesperson said. Echoing urgent warnings from the UN agency for Palestinian refugees UNRWA about the desperate situation in Gaza amid heavy Israeli bombardments, from the air, sea and land, humanitarians echoed deep concern that healthcare facilities had been targeted – raising concerns about medical care for the injured, including pregnant women and those with chronic health issues. Additionally, civilians attempting to relocate to southern Gaza have been struck and killed by explosive weapons, demanding urgent and independent investigation, OHCHR says. The world body has called for an immediate humanitarian pause to facilitate aid delivery and prevent further suffering. “Strict compliance with the laws of war and the protection of civilians is essential to prevent further loss of life in this dire crisis,” Shamdasani said. 

UN Commits To Deepening Partnership With Gombe Across Key Sectors

The United Nations (UN) has pledged its commitment to support and collaborate with the administration of Governor Muhammadu Inuwa Yahaya of Gombe State in various critical sectors, including health, education, and more to foster socio-economic development.   The UN Deputy Secretary-General, Hajiya Amina Mohammed gave this indication during a meeting with the Governor on the sidelines of the 78th UN General Assembly in New York. She commended the giant strides and progress achieved under the leadership of Governor Inuwa Yahaya in Gombe State, noting that the Governor has set a precedent in subnational governance. Hajiya Amina Mohammed offered words of encouragement to Governor Inuwa Yahaya, lauding the discernible improvements in the quality of life of the people of Gombe State.  She assured the Governor that the UN would stand shoulder to shoulder with him and his administration throughout his stewardship to deliver meaningful development to Gombe State. The DSG assured Governor Inuwa of her willingness to engage with international development partners such as the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation (BMGF), Susan Buffet Foundation, and the African Peace Corp to garner support for Gombe State in the realm of healthcare and human resource development. She also offered to facilitate UN’s technical support to bolster the Secretariat of the Northern States Governors’ Forum, a crucial platform for regional development, as soon as a formal request is made. In his remarks, Governor Inuwa Yahaya commended the Hajiya Amina Mohammed for her remarkable contributions to the UN’s global mission, describing her as a worthy daughter of Gombe and proud global ambassador of the state and Nigeria. During the meeting, he presented an overview of the multifaceted development initiatives that his administration is currently implementing, with a particular focus on healthcare and education. The Governor appealed for support in leveraging Hajiya Amina’s international networks to enhance Gombe state’s healthcare system, particularly at the primary and secondary levels. This includes attracting skilled manpower to fortify the operations of the three General hospitals that have either been constructed or rehabilitated across the three senatorial zones of Gombe State. He emphasized his administration’s unwavering commitment to providing counterpart funding where necessary to facilitate this vital endeavor. In his capacity as the Chairman of the Northern Governors’ Forum, Governor Inuwa Yahaya also sought the UN’s assistance in strengthening the Forum’s Secretariat through the provision of technical experts. These experts would work in tandem with the Forum to drive its overarching development objectives.

Stakeholders lagging behind on global warming fight, says UN

The United Nations has said that the world is not on target to curb global warming, insisting that more action is needed from all stakeholders. According to the Global Stocktake report, “The Paris Agreement has driven near-universal climate action by setting goals and sending signals to the world regarding the urgency of responding to the climate crisis,” it said. “While action is proceeding, much more is needed now on all fronts.” The report, culminating a two-year evaluation of the 2015 Paris climate agreement goals, distils thousands of submissions from experts, governments and campaigners and will lay the groundwork for the global stock-take discussion at COP28. Nearly 200 countries agreed in 2015 in Paris to limit warming to no more than 2 Celsius above pre-industrial levels, and to strive to keep the increase to 1.5 C. While each country is responsible for deciding its own climate actions, they also agreed to submit to a progress report by 2023 to see what more should be done. Some of the world’s most climate vulnerable countries expect the report to spur action from global leaders. The U.N. said existing national pledges to cut emissions were insufficient to keep temperatures within the 1.5 C threshold. More than 20 gigatonnes of further CO2 reductions were needed this decade – and global net zero by 2050 – in order to meet the goals, the U.N. assessment said. “With leaders gathering this month for the United Nations Secretary General’s Climate Ambition Summit ahead of COP28, the findings and recommendations of this Report need to be a wake-up call and a trigger for cogent commitments,” chair of Association of Small Island States, Pa’olelei Luteru said. The report urged countries to cut the use of “unabated” coal power by 67-92% by 2030 versus 2019 levels and to virtually eliminate it as a source of electricity by 2050. Low and zero-carbon electricity should account for as much as 99% of the global total by mid-century, while technological challenges holding back carbon capture must be resolved. The report also called for funding to be unlocked to support low-carbon development, noting that billions of dollars were still being invested in fossil fuels. “It serves up a bold to-do list for governments to limit warming to 1.5C and protect people everywhere from climate devastation,” said Tom Evans, policy advisor on climate diplomacy at British climate think tank E3G. Commitment is needed to phase out fossil fuels, set 2030 targets for renewable energy expansion, ensure the financial system funds climate action, and raise funds for adaptation and damage, he said. “Anything less will fall short on the necessary steps laid out in this report.”