Journalism of Courage
The United States has reportedly sought a two-year mandate for the International Security Force (ISF) to be deployed in Gaza as part of President Donald Trump’s peace plan. The US sent a draft resolution to several UN Security Council members, outlining the proposal.
According to Axios, the draft states that the tasks for the international force would involve “protecting civilians,” and “training a new Palestinian police force.” Most notably, the draft said the ISF’s mandate also includes disarming Hamas, “if the group or elements within it don’t do so voluntarily.”
It envisions the ISF to have a broad role and take on “additional tasks as may be necessary in support of the Gaza agreement.
The force would involve troops from several participating countries and be established in consultation with the Gaza “Board of Peace.”
Trump had proposed the setting up of a Board of Peace in his 20-point Gaza peace plan. The Board of Peace will be headed by Trump and will have former UK Prime Minister Tony Blair as one of its members. There is still no clarity on who else will be on the Board of Peace, but it is expected to comprise international figures or representatives from the UN, Arab, and Western nations.
The draft further said that the Board of Peace should remain in place at least through the end of 2027.
According to the draft, the Board of Peace will be “supervising and supporting a Palestinian technocratic, apolitical committee of competent Palestinians from the Strip … which shall be responsible for day-to-day operations of Gaza’s civil service and administration.”
The draft states that all organisations delivering aid to Gaza, including the UN, Red Cross and Red Crescent, will work with the Board of Peace.
The Guardian reported that the UN Security Council resolution mandating the introduction of the international force into Gaza is likely to be ready within two weeks.
On Monday, while addressing representatives from Arab and Muslim nations, Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan reiterated his country’s commitment to sending troops to Gaza as part of the ISF, while adding that other countries will shape their decisions based on the mission and authority.
Foreign ministers of Indonesia, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Jordan, as well as representatives of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Qatar, attended the meeting in Turkey on Monday, while Egypt remained the most notable absentee.
