Newsletters
Russia submitted its own draft resolution on Gaza to the United Nations Security Council on Thursday, directly challenging a U.S.-led effort to secure international backing for President Donald Trump's peace plan for the war-torn Palestinian territory.
The competing Russian proposal comes as Washington seeks to formalize support for a transitional governance structure and international stabilization force in Gaza, where a fragile ceasefire has held since October following a two-year conflict between Israel and Hamas. The U.S. formally circulated its draft resolution to the 15-member Security Council last week, claiming regional support for the measure.
In a note to Security Council members Thursday afternoon, Russia's UN mission said its counter-proposal was "inspired by the US draft" but aims to help the Council develop what it called a "balanced, acceptable, and unified approach toward achieving a sustainable cessation of hostilities."
The Russian draft diverges from the American version in key ways. While both documents call for an international stabilization force, Russia's proposal requests that UN Secretary-General identify options for such a force rather than endorsing a specific structure. Notably, the Russian text omits any reference to the "Board of Peace" that forms the centerpiece of the U.S. plan for transitional administration in Gaza.
U.S. officials responded sharply to Russia's move, characterizing it as potentially damaging to ongoing peace efforts. A spokesperson for the U.S. mission to the UN urged the Security Council to advance Washington's resolution without delay.
"Attempts to sow discord now – when agreement on this resolution is under active negotiation – has grave, tangible, and entirely avoidable consequences for Palestinians in Gaza," the spokesperson said, adding that "the ceasefire is fragile and we urge the Council to unite and move forward to secure the peace that is desperately needed."
1 min read
The U.S. resolution would authorize a two-year mandate for both the transitional governance body and the international stabilization force. Israel and Hamas agreed in October to implement the first phase of Trump's 20-point plan, which included a ceasefire and hostage release arrangement. That plan is annexed to the draft U.S. resolution.
While Trump has ruled out deploying American soldiers to Gaza, U.S. officials have outlined plans for a multinational force of approximately 20,000 troops. Washington has held discussions with Indonesia, the United Arab Emirates, Egypt, Qatar, Türkiye and Azerbaijan about potential troop contributions to the stabilization mission.
7 min read
