Al Arabiya: Confusion grows over Gaza’s future governance

Confusion is mounting over the roles of a proposed international stabilisation force and a transitional governing body for Gaza, following the United States’ submission of a draft resolution to the UN Security Council on November 5. The draft seeks approval for a two-year mandate to establish both entities as part of a plan to stabilise and administer the Palestinian territory after years of conflict.

Diaa Rashwan, head of Egypt’s State Information Service, sought to clarify the issue in a comment to Al Arabiya, noting that the proposed stabilisation force would operate separately from Gaza’s administrative body, Caliber.Az reports.

According to Rashwan, security in Gaza would be handled by trained Palestinian police, not the international force.

Rashwan also noted that Israel’s conditions are hindering progress on the Gaza plan, which was proposed by the administration of US President Donald Trump about two months ago. Washington, he said, is pressing Israel to ease its demands so that the plan can move forward.

He further revealed that Hamas, during earlier talks in Cairo, had agreed in principle to hand over offensive weapons and relinquish its control of Gaza. However, Rashwan warned that assigning the international force the task of disarming Hamas could trigger violent clashes, calling the issue “problematic” and still under debate.

According to Reuters, the two-page US draft resolution urges the Security Council to authorise a transitional governing body and a temporary international stabilisation force with a two-year mandate. The force would be permitted to “use all necessary measures” to carry out its mission.

For the resolution to pass, it requires at least nine affirmative votes in the 15-member Council and no vetoes from any of the five permanent members — the United States, Russia, China, Britain, or France. It remains unclear whether the text has undergone any changes since it was circulated to the ten elected members of the Council.

The initiative follows last month’s agreement between Israel and Hamas on the first phase of Trump’s 20-point Gaza plan, which aims to end their two-year war and secure the release of Israeli hostages in exchange for hundreds of Palestinian prisoners.

By Sabina Mammadli