UN votes in favour of US-backed resolution for Gaza recovery

The United Nations Security Council approved a US-drafted resolution on Monday that lays out a new international framework for ending the war in Gaza and rebuilding the territory after two years of destruction. The vote has been described by diplomats as one of the most consequential steps taken by the Council since the latest phase of the conflict began in 2023.

The resolution gives formal backing to President Donald Trump’s peace outline, a twenty point plan that opened with a ceasefire and the first major exchange of hostages and detainees since the fighting erupted. Israel and Hamas accepted that initial phase last month, but UN endorsement was viewed as essential to create a recognised political structure that could manage Gaza’s transition once the guns fall silent.

Thirteen members supported the text, including Pakistan. Russia and China chose to abstain after weeks of signalling that they might block the proposal. With no veto cast, the measure sailed through and cleared the way for an International Stabilisation Force along with a temporary Board of Peace that would help supervise reconstruction and the revival of essential services.

Washington’s envoy, Mike Waltz, described the Council’s decision as a turning point. He said it could lay the foundation for a safer environment for Israelis and a more hopeful future for Palestinians. He added that the new stabilisation force and investment channels would work side by side to remove armed groups from the territory and rebuild shattered neighbourhoods.

Hamas rejected the vote within hours, saying the plan ignored key Palestinian demands and feared the international mission would end up serving Israeli interests. The group said a foreign force charged with removing weapons could not be viewed as neutral by the people of Gaza.

Pakistan said its support for the resolution came from a desire to stop the widespread loss of life and open the door for meaningful relief and reconstruction. Ambassador Asim Iftikhar Ahmad told the Council that Islamabad backed the measure after consultations with the Palestinians, the Arab Group and the wider Arab-Islamic coalition that had endorsed the US initiative earlier this year.

He said Pakistan pushed for amendments during negotiations, including clearer language on maintaining the ceasefire and more consistent reporting to the Council. He repeated that any long term peace must lead to a viable Palestinian state with Al Quds Al Sharif as its capital and warned that bypassing the Palestinian Authority would only deepen instability.

Ahmad said more than 69,000 Palestinians had died in the past two years and that the international community must now ensure a credible path to statehood without displacement or annexation. He closed by reaffirming Pakistan’s support for the Palestinian people and their right to self-determination.