Washington (TDI): The United States is seeking approval from the United Nations for the creation of an International Security Force (ISF) in Gaza, with a proposed mandate lasting at least two years, according to a report by Axios.
The draft resolution, which has been shared with members of the UN Security Council (UNSC), outlines the establishment of this security force to maintain order in the Palestinian enclave.
The resolution, labeled as “sensitive but unclassified,” is said to grant the US and other participating nations a broad mandate to deploy security forces in Gaza through 2027, with the possibility of extending the force’s presence beyond that time. The ISF’s primary mission would be to oversee Gaza’s borders, protect civilians and humanitarian corridors, and demilitarize the territory.
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According to the report, the force would be led by a “Board of Peace” chaired by US President Donald Trump, which would guide the force’s operations until at least 2027. Despite the Board of Peace overseeing the force’s operations, a US official clarified that the ISF would function as an enforcement force, not a peacekeeping unit.
The ISF, if approved, would operate with a wide-ranging mandate that includes enforcing the demilitarization of Gaza, ensuring that military infrastructure, such as weapons caches, are destroyed, and preventing non-state actors like Hamas from rebuilding their military assets. This could mean the disarmament of Hamas if the group does not comply voluntarily with the new framework.
The proposed force would also work in partnership with a newly trained Palestinian police force in Gaza. According to the draft, the ISF would be tasked with securing Gaza’s borders with both Israel and Egypt, providing humanitarian protection, and stabilizing the overall security environment in Gaza. Moreover, the force would operate under a unified command, which is to be “acceptable to the Board of Peace,” with close consultation and cooperation between Egypt, Israel, and participating countries.
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The draft resolution also calls for the empowerment of the Board of Peace, a body that will act as a transitional governance administration. This board will oversee the day-to-day governance of Gaza, working with a technocratic committee of competent Palestinian officials who will manage civil services and administration in the enclave.
