Axios: US drafts UN plan for two-year international force to govern Gaza

The United States has circulated a draft resolution to several UN Security Council members proposing the creation of an international security force to operate in Gaza for at least two years, according to a document obtained by Axios.

The resolution, marked “Sensitive but Unclassified,” envisions the establishment of an International Security Force (ISF) empowered to govern and secure Gaza until at least the end of 2027, with the option to extend its mandate beyond that period. The proposal is expected to serve as the basis for negotiations among Security Council members over the coming days, with Washington aiming for a vote in the next few weeks and the first deployment of troops by January.

A U.S. official told Axios that the ISF would be an “enforcement force, not a peacekeeping force,” operating under a broad mandate to restore and maintain order. The force would include troops from multiple nations, with countries such as Indonesia, Azerbaijan, Egypt, and Türkiye reportedly expressing readiness to contribute. Its establishment would take place in coordination with the “Board of Peace,” a transitional governance body that President Trump has said he will chair.

Under the draft resolution, the ISF’s main duties would include securing Gaza’s borders with Israel and Egypt, protecting civilians and humanitarian corridors, training a new Palestinian police force, and overseeing the demilitarisation of Gaza. The force would be tasked with dismantling and preventing the re-establishment of military and terror infrastructure, as well as permanently decommissioning weapons held by non-state armed groups — a provision that effectively covers the disarmament of Hamas if it does not comply voluntarily.

The draft stipulates that the ISF will operate under a unified command acceptable to the Board of Peace and in close cooperation with Egypt and Israel. It authorises the use of “all necessary measures” consistent with international and humanitarian law to fulfil its mission.

The broader plan envisions the ISF providing security during a transition period as Israel gradually withdraws from additional parts of Gaza, while the Palestinian Authority undertakes reforms enabling it to assume long-term administrative control.

The Board of Peace would function as a transitional governance administration, tasked with setting reconstruction priorities, raising funds, and overseeing Gaza’s civil operations until the Palestinian Authority completes its reform program.

According to the draft, the Board will supervise a technocratic committee of nonpartisan Palestinian professionals responsible for the Strip’s daily administration. Humanitarian assistance will be delivered by organisations working under the Board’s coordination, including the UN, Red Cross, and Red Crescent. Any organisation found to misuse or divert aid would be banned from participation.

A U.S. official noted that the Board of Peace is expected to begin operating before the technocratic committee is formally established.

By Tamilla Hasanova