Israel on Tuesday praised former U.S. President Donald Trump’s Gaza peace plan after the United Nations Security Council endorsed the proposal, even as Hamas rejected it, saying it failed to meet Palestinians’ political and humanitarian needs.
The UN Security Council voted on Monday in favour of a U.S.-drafted resolution supporting Trump’s framework for Gaza — a plan that has sustained a fragile ceasefire between Israel and Hamas since October 10. The resolution authorises the deployment of an international stabilisation force to work alongside Israel, Egypt, and newly trained Palestinian police to secure Gaza’s borders and oversee demilitarisation.
While many Palestinians said the agreement offered a rare glimmer of hope, they expressed doubts about Israel’s willingness to honour the terms.
“Any international decision that benefits the Palestinians now is welcome. The important thing is that the war ends,” said Saeb Al-Hassanat, a displaced resident sheltering in central Gaza. He noted, however, that without strong U.S. pressure, “the resolution will remain worthless.”
Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu welcomed the plan, saying it paves the way for “peace and prosperity” by insisting on full demilitarisation and deradicalisation in Gaza. His office also said the plan could deepen Israel’s regional ties and expand the Abraham Accords.
The resolution passed with 13 votes in favour, while Russia and China abstained but did not use their veto power.
Life in Gaza Remains Dire
Despite the ceasefire, conditions in Gaza remain extremely harsh. Large parts of the territory have been reduced to rubble after two years of conflict triggered by Hamas’s October 7, 2023 attack on Israel.
“We still have no food, no water and no homes,” said Rawia Abbas, a resident of Gaza City’s damaged Zeitun neighbourhood. “Winter has begun and people’s conditions are catastrophic… Now we are in God’s hands.”
Trump hailed the Security Council vote, saying it would bring “further peace all over the world.”
Hamas, however, rejected the resolution, opposing the creation of an international force and accusing the plan of imposing an “international trusteeship” on Gaza. The group insisted that the proposal does not meet Palestinians’ rights or governance demands.
Pathway to Palestinian Statehood Mentioned
Although Israel has repeatedly rejected the idea of a Palestinian state, the resolution vaguely references the possibility. It states that once the Palestinian Authority undergoes reforms and reconstruction begins, “conditions may finally be in place for a credible pathway to Palestinian self-determination and statehood.”
The plan also calls for a transitional governing body for Gaza — the “Board of Peace” — which Trump would theoretically lead until the end of 2027.
Humanitarian aid is expected to resume at scale through the UN, Red Cross, and Red Crescent under the new framework.
Israeli President Isaac Herzog described the resolution as a “historic diplomatic achievement” that could help shape the “day after” in Gaza and the broader region.
