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.
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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.”
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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.”
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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.
