UNITED NATIONS: The United States has drafted a United Nations resolution that approves a two-year mandate for a Gaza transitional governance body and an international stabilisation force in the Palestinian enclave, according to the text seen by Reuters.
The draft - which is still being developed and could change - was shared with some countries this week, but has not yet been formally circulated to the 15-member Security Council for negotiations, diplomats said. It was not immediately clear when Washington planned to do that.
A State Department spokesperson said discussions with UN Security Council members and other partners on how to implement President Donald Trump's Gaza plan were ongoing and declined to comment on "allegedly leaked documents."
The two-page text would authorise a so-called Board of Peace transitional governance administration to establish a temporary International Stabilisation Force (ISF) in Gaza that could "use all necessary measures" - code for force - to carry out its mandate.
The ISF would be authorised to protect civilians and humanitarian aid operations, work to secure border areas with Israel, Egypt and a "newly trained and vetted Palestinian police force, which the ISF will be responsible for training and supporting.
The ISF would stabilise security in Gaza, "including through the demilitarisation of non-state groups and the permanent decommissioning of weapons, as necessary."
Israel and Hamas agreed a month ago to the first phase of Trump's 20-point plan for Gaza, a ceasefire in their two-year war and hostage release deal.
The next phase of the plan, which the draft UN resolution would endorse, is to establish the Board of Peace and the ISF.
The ISF would deploy under a unified command agreed by the Board of Peace and in close consultation with Egypt and Israel after detailed status of mission and forces agreements have been reached, according to the resolution. - Reuters