The UN Security Council is set to vote Monday on a US-drafted resolution bolstering Donald Trump&#39;s Gaza peace plan, especially the deployment of an international force, as Washington warns that a failure to act could lead to renewed fighting. The draft, which has been revised several times as a result of high-stakes negotiations, &quot;endorses&quot; the plan, which allowed for a fragile ceasefire between Israel and Hamas to take hold on October 10 in the war-wracked Palestinian territory. The Gaza Strip has been largely reduced to rubble after two years of fighting, sparked by Hamas&#39;s attack on Israel on October 7, 2023. The latest version of the text, seen by AFP, authorizes the creation of an International Stabilization Force (ISF) that would work with Israel and Egypt and newly trained Palestinian police to help secure border areas and demilitarize the Gaza Strip. The ISF also would work on the &quot;permanent decommissioning of weapons from non-state armed groups,&quot; protecting civilians and securing humanitarian aid corridors. In addition, it would authorize the formation of a &quot;Board of Peace,&quot; a transitional governing body for Gaza &mdash; which Trump would theoretically chair &mdash; with a mandate running until the end of 2027. Unlike previous drafts, the latest version mentions a possible future Palestinian state. Once the Palestinian Authority has carried out requested reforms and the rebuilding of Gaza is underway, &quot;the conditions may finally be in place for a credible pathway to Palestinian self-determination and statehood,&quot; the draft says. That eventuality has been firmly rejected by Israel. &quot;Our opposition to a Palestinian state on any territory has not changed,&quot; Netanyahu said at a cabinet meeting on Sunday. The UN Security Council vote is set for 5 pm (2200 GMT) Monday. Russian objections Veto-wielding Russia has circulated a competing draft, saying the US document does not go far enough towards backing the creation of a Palestinian state. Moscow&#39;s text, seen by AFP, asks the Council to express its &quot;unwavering commitment to the vision of the two-state solution.&quot; It does not authorize a Board of Peace or the deployment of an international force for the time being, instead asking UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres to offer &quot;options&quot; on those issues. The United States has intensified its campaign to earn support for its resolution, hitting out at &quot;attempts to sow discord&quot; among Council members. &quot;Any refusal to back this resolution is a vote either for the continued reign of Hamas terrorists or for the return to war with Israel, condemning the region and its people to perpetual conflict,&quot; the US ambassador to the United Nations, Mike Waltz, wrote in The Washington Post. The US has made known that it has the backing of several Arab and Muslim-majority nations, publishing a joint statement of support for the text signed by Qatar, Egypt, the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Indonesia, Pakistan, Jordan, and Turkey. Several diplomats told AFP that despite Russian criticism and hesitance on the part of other member states, they expect the US draft to be adopted. &quot;The Russians know that while a lot of Council members will go along with the US plans, they share concerns about the substance of the US text and the way Washington has tried to fast-track it through New York,&quot; Richard Gowan of the International Crisis Group told AFP. He, however, said he doubts that Moscow will use its veto on a resolution backed by Arab nations. &quot;I think it is more likely that China and Russia will abstain, register their skepticism about the plan and then sit back and watch the US struggle to put it into action,&quot; Gowan said.

Americas

Middle East

The draft "endorses" Donald Trump's Gaza peace plan; authorizes the creation of an International Stabilization Force that would work with Israel and Egypt and newly trained Palestinian police to help secure border areas and demilitarize the Gaza Strip.

UN Security Council set to vote on international force for Gaza

UNITED NATIONS: The UN Security Council will vote Monday on a resolution endorsing US President Donald Trump&#39;s Gaza peace plan, diplomats said.&nbsp; Last week, the Americans officially launched negotiations within the 15-member Security Council on a text that would follow up on a ceasefire in the two-year war between Israel and Hamas and endorse Trump&#39;s plan. A draft of the resolution seen Thursday by AFP &quot;welcomes the establishment of the Board of Peace,&quot; a transitional governing body for Gaza -- that Trump would theoretically chair -- with a mandate running until the end of 2027. It would authorize member states to form a &quot;temporary International Stabilization Force (ISF)&quot; that would work with Israel and Egypt and newly trained Palestinian police to help secure border areas and demilitarize the Gaza Strip. Unlike previous drafts, the latest mentions a possible future Palestinian state. The United States and several Arab and Muslim-majority nations, including Egypt, Saudi Arabia and Turkey, called Friday for the UN Security Council to quickly adopt the resolution. &quot;The United States, Qatar, Egypt, the United Arab Emirates, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Indonesia, Pakistan, Jordan, and T&uuml;rkiye express our joint support for the Security Council Resolution currently under consideration,&quot; the countries said in a joint statement, adding they were seeking the measure&#39;s &quot;swift adoption.&quot; Friday&#39;s joint statement comes as Russia circulated a competing draft resolution to Council members that does not authorize the creation of a board of peace or the immediate deployment of an international force in Gaza, according to the text seen Friday by AFP. The Russian version welcomes &quot;the initiative that led to the ceasefire&quot; but does not name Trump. It also only calls on the UN secretary-general to submit a report that addresses the possibilities of deploying an international stabilization force in war-ravaged Gaza. The United States has called the ceasefire &quot;fragile,&quot; and warned Friday of the risks of not adopting its draft. &quot;Any refusal to back this resolution is a vote either for the continued reign of Hamas terrorists or for the return to war with Israel, condemning the region and its people to perpetual conflict,&quot; the US ambassador to the United Nations, Mike Waltz, wrote in The Washington Post. &quot;Every departure from this path, be it by those who wish to play political games or to relitigate the past, will come with a real human cost.&quot; While it seemed until now that Council members supported principles of the peace plan, diplomatic sources noted there were questions about the US text, particularly regarding the absence of a monitoring mechanism by the Council, the role of the&nbsp; Palestinian Authority, and details of the ISF&#39;s mandate. The Russian UN mission said in a statement that its alternative proposal differed by recognizing the principle of a &quot;two-State solution for the Israeli-Palestinian settlement.&quot; &quot;Unfortunately, these provisions were not given due regard in the US draft,&quot; it said.

Draft of the resolution "welcomes the establishment of the Board of Peace," AFP reports

UN Security Council to vote Monday on Trump Gaza plan

CAIRO: Delegations from Hamas and its longtime rival Fatah met in Cairo on Thursday to discuss the second phase of a US-backed Gaza ceasefire plan, an informed source told AFP. &quot;The meeting discussed the current situation and issues related to the second phase of the proposed ceasefire in Gaza,&quot; said the source, who spoke on condition of anonymity. He added that both sides agreed to &quot;continue meetings in the coming period and to work on organizing the Palestinian internal front in the face of the challenges posed by the Israeli government.&quot; Egypt&#39;s state-linked Al-Qahera News reported that the talks covered &quot;the national scene in general and arrangements after ending the war in the Gaza Strip.&quot; Hamas and Fatah have a history of deep political rivalry, which flared into fighting for a time after a 2006 election, and which has hindered efforts at Palestinian national unity. Egypt, a long-time mediator in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, hosted the meetings as part of a wider push to build consensus around the long-term ceasefire plan put forward by US President Donald Trump. Alongside the Hamas-Fatah talks, Egypt&#39;s intelligence chief Hassan Rashad met with senior officials from key Palestinian factions. They included Islamic Jihad, an ally of Hamas, as well as the Democratic Front for the Liberation of Palestine and the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine &mdash; both factions within the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO). Al-Qahera News said the talks were part of Egyptian efforts to &quot;achieve national Palestinian consensus on the implementation of the US president&#39;s ceasefire plan in Gaza.&quot; The meetings come as top US diplomat Marco Rubio visited Israel on Thursday, the latest in a series of Washington officials aiming to solidify the fragile truce. Under Trump&#39;s 20-point peace plan, an international security force drawn from Arab and Muslim allies would stabilize Gaza as Israeli troops withdraw, while a transitional authority would take over the territory&#39;s administration from Hamas.

Egypt's intelligence chief meets senior officials from key Palestinian factions; talks part of Egyptian efforts to "achieve national Palestinian consensus on the implementation of the US president's ceasefire plan in Gaza."

Hamas, Fatah hold talks in Cairo on next steps for Gaza truce

JERUSALEM: Hamas said Tuesday it was working to overcome &quot;all obstacles&quot; as the Palestinian leaders held indirect talks with Israel aimed at ending the two-year Gaza war. &quot;The delegation of the movement participating in the current negotiations in Egypt seeks to surmount all obstacles to achieving an agreement that fulfils the aspirations of our people in Gaza,&quot; senior Hamas official Fawzi Barhoum said in a televised speech.

Europe

Hamas said it is working to overcome all obstacles in ongoing indirect talks with Israel in Egypt, aiming to reach an agreement that meets the aspirations of the Palestinian people in Gaza after two years of war

Hamas says working to 'surmount all obstacles' in Gaza talks

Web Desk

ISLAMABAD: The foreign ministers of Pakistan, Jordan, the UAE, Indonesia, T&uuml;rkiye, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and Egypt, in a joint statement on Sunday, welcomed the steps taken by Hamas in&nbsp;response to US President Donald Trump&rsquo;s plan to end the Gaza conflict. &ldquo;The foreign ministers ... welcomed President Trump&rsquo;s call on Israel to immediately stop the bombing and to begin implementation of the exchange agreement and expressed appreciation for his commitment to establishing peace in the region,&rdquo; according to the statement. Gaza administration and ceasefire talks The foreign ministers supported Hamas&rsquo;s announcement to hand over Gaza&rsquo;s administration to a transitional Palestinian Administrative Committee of independent technocrats. They called for swift negotiations to establish implementation mechanisms. They said that there is a need for &quot;immediate launch of negotiations to agree on mechanisms to implement the proposal, and address all of its aspects.&rdquo; Commitment to peace, security, and humanitarian aid According to the statement, &quot;The foreign ministers reiterated their joint commitment to support efforts toward the implementation of the proposal, to work for the immediate end of the war on Gaza, and achieve a comprehensive agreement that ensures unrestricted delivery of humanitarian aid to Gaza, no displacement of the Palestinian people, and that no measures are taken that threaten the security and safety of civilians, the release of hostages, the return of the Palestinian Authority to Gaza, unifying Gaza and the West Bank, and reaching a security mechanism that guarantees the security of all sides, in a manner that leads to the full Israeli withdrawal, and to the rebuilding of Gaza, and that creates a path for a just peace on the basis of the two-state solution.&quot; They described the developments as a &ldquo;real opportunity to achieve a comprehensive and sustainable ceasefire, and to address the critical humanitarian conditions facing people in Gaza Strip.&rdquo;

 Israeli soldiers take position along the Gaza Strip border in southern Israel, Sunday, Oct. 5, 2025. (AP)

Asia

In a joint statement, the foreign ministers of the eight countries reiterated their commitment to supporting the release of hostages, ceasefire talks, the handover of the Gaza administration, and urgent peace negotiations based on the two-state solution.

Pakistan, other Muslim nations, welcome Hamas response to Trump’s peace plan

DOHA: Hamas officials want amendments to clauses in US President Donald Trump&rsquo;s Gaza peace plan, including on disarmament, a Palestinian source close to the group&rsquo;s leadership told AFP on Wednesday. Hamas negotiators held discussions Tuesday with Turkish, Egyptian and Qatari officials in Doha, the source said, requesting anonymity to discuss sensitive matters and adding that the group needed &ldquo;two or three days at most&rdquo; to respond. Trump&rsquo;s plan, backed by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, calls for a ceasefire, the release of hostages by Hamas within 72 hours, the group&rsquo;s disarmament and a gradual Israeli withdrawal from Gaza. But the Palestinian source said: &ldquo;Hamas wants to amend some of the clauses, such as the one on disarmament and the expulsion of Hamas and faction cadres.&rdquo; Hamas leaders also want &ldquo;international guarantees for a full Israeli withdrawal from the Gaza Strip&rdquo; and guarantees that no assassination attempts will be made inside or outside the territory. Six people were killed in an Israeli attack last month on Hamas officials meeting in Doha to discuss an earlier ceasefire proposal. The source said Hamas was also in touch with &ldquo;other regional and Arab parties,&rdquo; without giving details. ClarificationAnother source familiar with the negotiations told AFP the Palestinian group was split over Trump&rsquo;s plan. &ldquo;So far, there are two views within Hamas: the first supports unconditional approval because the important thing is to have a ceasefire guaranteed by Trump, provided that the mediators guarantee Israel&rsquo;s implementation of the plan,&rdquo; the source said, also requesting anonymity. But others have &ldquo;great reservations on important clauses,&rdquo; the source added. &ldquo;They reject disarmament and for any Palestinian citizen to be taken away from Gaza.&rdquo; &ldquo;They support a conditional agreement with clarifications that take into account demands by Hamas and the resistance factions so that the occupation of the Gaza Strip is not legitimized while the resistance is criminalized,&rdquo; the source said. &ldquo;Some factions reject the plan, but discussions are ongoing and things will become clearer soon.&rdquo; In an interview with Al Jazeera on Tuesday, Qatari Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani said parts of the Gaza plan required further &ldquo;clarification&rdquo; and talks, including Israel&rsquo;s withdrawal from the strip. &ldquo;The issue of [Israeli] withdrawal, of course, requires some clarification and some work, and I believe this must be discussed in detail. This is primarily the duty of the Palestinian side, along with the Israeli side,&rdquo; he said.

A source close to Hamas leadership reveals the group is seeking to amend the disarmament clause in former President Trump's peace plan. The move comes amid ongoing tensions and efforts to negotiate future terms.

Hamas seeks to amend disarmament clause in Trump plan, source says

ISLAMABAD: Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar on Tuesday distanced the Pakistani government from the Gaza peace plan presented by the United States and Israel earlier this week, expressing concerns that it failed to address &ldquo;key areas.&rdquo;&nbsp;The 20-point plan, backed by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, calls for a ceasefire, the release of hostages by Hamas within 72 hours, disarmament, and a gradual Israeli withdrawal from Gaza. President Trump has stated that his administration is waiting for Hamas to accept the plan.&nbsp;Speaking to reporters in Islamabad, Dar explained that the document presented by the US and Israel on Monday did not cover several important issues discussed in the joint commitment issued by the foreign ministers of eight Muslim-majority countries. &ldquo;If these issues are not addressed, they will be,&rdquo; Dar asserted, emphasizing that the immediate objective of their meeting was to stop displacement, achieve a ceasefire, end the bloodshed, and ensure the flow of humanitarian aid to Gaza.&nbsp;Dar clarified that Pakistan&#39;s position aligned with the joint statement from the eight countries, not a statement from Pakistan alone. &ldquo;This is the collective commitment of eight countries, not just mine or the Prime Minister&rsquo;s,&rdquo; he said.&nbsp;Regarding President Trump&rsquo;s peace plan, Dar noted that Pakistan understood it as a statement from the US government. &ldquo;We have issued our statement on behalf of eight countries, and we stand by that,&rdquo; he added. &ldquo;If there are any differences, we will adhere to this statement.&rdquo;&nbsp;The plan, presented by President Trump on Monday, outlines a roadmap for a ceasefire, the exchange of hostages and prisoners, a phased Israeli withdrawal from Gaza, the disarmament of Hamas, and large-scale reconstruction with international support.&nbsp;A joint statement from the foreign ministers of Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Turkey, Indonesia, Qatar, Egypt, and Jordan welcomed the initiative, praising Trump&rsquo;s &ldquo;sincere efforts to end the war.&rdquo;&nbsp;The ministers also reiterated their support for a two-state solution, with Gaza fully integrated into the West Bank under a Palestinian state recognized by international law.

Foreign Affairs

Says all key areas, if they are not covered, “they should have been covered. They will be.”

FM Dar says Gaza peace plan issued by US does not cover ‘key areas’ 

WASHINGTON: After days of speculation, the White House on Monday released a 20-point plan for ending the nearly two-year war in Gaza, releasing hostages held by Hamas, and outlining Gaza&rsquo;s future. Speaking alongside President Donald Trump at the White House, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu gave cautious backing to plan. Here is the plan, as released by the White House: 1. Gaza will be a deradicalized terror-free zone that does not pose a threat to its neighbors. 2. Gaza will be redeveloped for the benefit of the people of Gaza, who have suffered more than enough. 3. If both sides agree to this proposal,&nbsp;the war will immediately end. Israeli forces will withdraw to the agreed upon line to prepare for a hostage release. During this time, all military operations, including aerial and artillery bombardment, will be suspended, and battle lines will remain frozen until conditions are met for the complete staged withdrawal. 4. Within 72 hours of Israel publicly accepting this agreement, all hostages, alive and deceased, will be returned. 5. Once all hostages are released, Israel will release 250 life sentence prisoners plus 1,700 Gazans who were detained after October 7th&nbsp;2023, including all women and children detained in that context. For every Israeli hostage whose remains are released, Israel will release the remains of 15 deceased Gazans. 6. Once all hostages are returned, Hamas members who commit to peaceful co-existence and to decommission their weapons will be given amnesty. Members of Hamas who wish to leave Gaza will be provided safe passage to receiving countries. 7. Upon acceptance of this agreement, full aid will be immediately sent into the Gaza Strip. At a minimum, aid quantities will be consistent with what was included in the January 19, 2025, agreement regarding humanitarian aid, including rehabilitation of infrastructure (water, electricity, sewage), rehabilitation of hospitals and bakeries, and entry of necessary equipment to remove rubble and open roads. 8. Entry of distribution and aid in the Gaza Strip will proceed without interference from the two parties through the United Nations and its agencies, and the Red Crescent, in addition to other international institutions not associated in any manner with either party. Opening the Rafah crossing in both directions will be subject to the same mechanism implemented under the January 19, 2025 agreement. 9. Gaza will be governed under the temporary transitional governance of a technocratic, apolitical Palestinian committee, responsible for delivering the day-to-day running of public services and municipalities for the people in Gaza. This committee will be made up of qualified Palestinians and international experts, with oversight and supervision by a new international transitional body, the &ldquo;Board of Peace,&rdquo; which will be headed and chaired by President Donald J. Trump, with other members and heads of State to be announced, including Former Prime Minister Tony Blair. This body will set the framework and handle the funding for the redevelopment of Gaza until such time as the Palestinian Authority has completed its reform program, as outlined in various proposals, including President Trump&rsquo;s peace plan in 2020 and the Saudi-French proposal, and can securely and effectively take back control of Gaza. This body will call on best international standards to create modern and efficient governance that serves the people of Gaza and is conducive to attracting investment. 10. A Trump economic development plan to rebuild and energize Gaza will be created by convening a panel of experts who have helped birth some of the thriving modern miracle cities in the Middle East. Many thoughtful investment proposals and exciting development ideas have been crafted by well-meaning international groups, and will be considered to synthesize the security and governance frameworks to attract and facilitate these investments that will create jobs, opportunity, and hope for future Gaza. 11. A special economic zone will be established with preferred tariff and access rates to be negotiated with participating countries. 12. No one will be forced to leave Gaza, and those who wish to leave will be free to do so and free to return. We will encourage people to stay and offer them the opportunity to build a better Gaza. 13. Hamas and other factions agree to not have any role in the governance of Gaza, directly, indirectly, or in any form. All military, terror, and offensive infrastructure, including tunnels and weapon production facilities, will be destroyed and not rebuilt. There will be a process of demilitarization of Gaza under the supervision of independent monitors, which will include placing weapons permanently beyond use through an agreed process of decommissioning, and supported by an internationally funded buy back and reintegration program all verified by the independent monitors. New Gaza will be fully committed to building a prosperous economy and to peaceful coexistence with their neighbors. 14. A guarantee will be provided by regional partners to ensure that Hamas, and the factions, comply with their obligations and that New Gaza poses no threat to its neighbors or its people. 15. The United States will work with Arab and international partners to develop a temporary International Stabilization Force (ISF) to immediately deploy in Gaza. The ISF will train and provide support to vetted Palestinian police forces in Gaza, and will consult with Jordan and Egypt who have extensive experience in this field. This force will be the long-term internal security solution. The ISF will work with Israel and Egypt to help secure border areas, along with newly trained Palestinian police forces. It is critical to prevent munitions from entering Gaza and to facilitate the rapid and secure flow of goods to rebuild and revitalize Gaza. A deconfliction mechanism will be agreed upon by the parties. 16. Israel will not occupy or annex Gaza. As the ISF establishes control and stability, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) will withdraw based on standards, milestones, and timeframes linked to demilitarization that will be agreed upon between the IDF, ISF, the guarantors, and the Unites States, with the objective of a secure Gaza that no longer poses a threat to Israel, Egypt, or its citizens. Practically, the IDF will progressively hand over the Gaza territory it occupies to the ISF according to an agreement they will make with the transitional authority until they are withdrawn completely from Gaza, save for a security perimeter presence that will remain until Gaza is properly secure from any resurgent terror threat. 17. In the event Hamas delays or rejects this proposal, the above, including the scaled-up aid operation, will proceed in the terror-free areas handed over from the IDF to the ISF. 18. An interfaith dialogue process will be established based on the values of tolerance and peaceful co-existence to try and change mindsets and narratives of Palestinians and Israelis by emphasizing the benefits that can be derived from peace. 19. While Gaza re-development advances and when the PA reform program is faithfully carried out, the conditions may finally be in place for a credible pathway to Palestinian self-determination and statehood, which we recognize as the aspiration of the Palestinian people. 20. The United States will establish a dialogue between Israel and the Palestinians to agree on a political horizon for peaceful and prosperous co-existence.&nbsp;

The US proposed 20-point peace plan is aimed at ending the war in Gaza, release of the Israeli hostages, providing aid and redevelopment of the Palestinian territory. 

Articles tagged with "Gaza Peace Plan"