The UN Security Council on Monday unanimously adopted a US-drafted resolution endorsing President Donald Trump’s 20-point Gaza plan, authorizing a 20,000-strong International Stabilization Force (ISF) to oversee demilitarization, reconstruction, and transitional governance in the war-torn enclave, with 13 members including Pakistan voting in favor and Russia and China abstaining.
The resolution, which passed without vetoes from the P5 (US, China, Russia, UK, France), annexes Trump’s October 8 ceasefire-hostage deal with Hamas and Israel, establishing a two-year Board of Peace (BoP)—chaired by Trump—as interim authority until December 31, 2027. The ISF, comprising non-US troops, will disarm non-state groups like Hamas, secure humanitarian corridors, protect civilians, and support Palestinian Authority (PA) reforms for eventual statehood—conditioned on Israeli withdrawal milestones.
US Ambassador Mike Waltz hailed the “historic and constructive resolution” as a “new course for the Middle East,” thanking supporters and emphasizing the ISF’s role in freeing Gaza from “Hamas’ grip” while enabling reconstruction. The text affirms “conditions may finally be in place for a credible pathway to Palestinian self-determination and statehood” post-reforms.
Hamas rejected the measure, decrying it as imposing “international trusteeship” and turning the ISF into a “party to the conflict” by mandating disarmament. Israel, via Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, reiterated opposition to Palestinian statehood “on any territory.”
Pakistan’s Permanent Representative Ambassador Asim Iftikhar Ahmad explained the yes vote as driven by the urgent need “to stop the bloodshed, save innocent Palestinian lives—including women and children—maintain the ceasefire, and secure full Israeli withdrawal from Gaza.”
At this solemn moment in history, Pakistan stands shoulder-to-shoulder with the people of Palestine. Their suffering is our anguish; their resilience is our pride; their aspirations our cause. The people of Gaza have endured what no human beings should ever face. Yet they have… pic.twitter.com/vEbLSzydVR
— Permanent Mission of Pakistan to the UN (@PakistanUN_NY) November 17, 2025
Guided by Palestinian positions and the Arab-Islamic group’s endorsement (Saudi Arabia, Qatar, UAE, Egypt, Jordan, Indonesia, Türkiye), Ambassador Ahmad noted Pakistan’s active negotiations secured amendments like ceasefire safeguards and UNSC reporting. However, he flagged unresolved gaps: a “clear political path to Palestinian self-determination and statehood,” PA centrality in governance/reconstruction, enhanced UN involvement, and no preconditions on inherent rights.
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“The BoP must be temporary, expiring in 2027 unless renewed; executive authority stays with Palestinians via a PA-led committee,” he insisted. On the ISF, Ahmad stressed a “UN-consistent mandate” with disarmament through negotiated processes under a unified PA, effective only post-Israeli exit. He warned unilateral violations could “thwart the entire process” and reaffirmed UN resolutions’ validity, rejecting any dilution of international law.
Citing Gaza’s devastation—over 69,000 Palestinian deaths since October 7, 2023—Ahmad credited the October Sharm-el-Sheikh summit (Egypt, Qatar, Türkiye, US) as a “ray of hope.” He urged global support for time-bound statehood on pre-1967 borders with East Jerusalem as capital, no annexation/displacement, and West Bank-Gaza contiguity.
“Pakistan’s solidarity with Palestinians is unwavering: their suffering is our anguish; their resilience our pride; their aspirations our cause,” Ahmad concluded, posting on X: “The UN, PA, and Palestinian people must lead Gaza’s governance, reconstruction, and institution-building. The international community must stand steadfastly with them.”
Looking ahead, the central roles of the United Nations, the Palestinian Authority, and the Palestinian people are vital in ensuring legitimate governance, reconstruction, and institution building in Gaza. The international community must stand with them steadfastly and firmly.
— Asim Iftikhar Ahmad, PR of Pakistan to the UN (@PakistanPR_UN) November 18, 2025
The resolution’s passage, amid Arab-Muslim backing, tests multilateral will to implement Trump’s vision—balancing security with self-determination—while averting renewed violence in a region scarred by two years of war.
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