US Pushes UN Security Council to Approve Gaza Stabilization Force as Rubio Voices ‘Optimism’
Key Facts
- Rubio says the U.S. is “optimistic” the UN Security Council will approve the Gaza International Stabilization Force within days.
- Draft resolution gives the ISF a two-year mandate focused on demilitarizing Gaza and dismantling Hamas’s military infrastructure.
- Trump-chaired “Board of Peace” would oversee a transitional Palestinian administration until PA reforms are complete.
- Nations hesitate to contribute troops as ISF may need to enforce security in Hamas-controlled zones despite U.S. claims it “shouldn’t be a fighting force.”
by Emmitt Barry, with reporting from Worthy News Jerusalem Bureau Staff
WASHINGTON / OTTAWA (Worthy News) – The United States is moving aggressively to secure UN Security Council authorization for the new International Stabilization Force (ISF) in Gaza, with Secretary of State Marco Rubio saying Wednesday that Washington is “optimistic” that the draft resolution will advance within days — paving the way for deployment at the start of 2026.
Speaking to reporters after the G7 foreign ministers’ meeting in Canada, Rubio said the U.S. is making “good progress on the language of the resolution” and does not want to “lose momentum” as the Trump administration pushes to solidify the next stage of the president’s Gaza peace framework.
A Western diplomat told The Times of Israel that the administration hopes to bring the resolution to a vote in the coming days, setting the legal architecture for the ISF — a two-year multinational force that would operate under a Trump-chaired “Board of Peace” and oversee a transitional Palestinian governance structure until the reformed Palestinian Authority can assume control.
ISF Mandate: Demilitarization, Security Control, and Oversight
The latest draft of the resolution, obtained on Wednesday, reveals that the ISF would be explicitly tasked with helping “demilitarize the Gaza Strip,” including the destruction and prevention of the rebuilding of Hamas’s military and terror infrastructure. The force would also oversee the permanent decommissioning of weapons held by non-state armed groups.
That mandate — far more robust than traditional UN “blue helmet” missions — has prompted hesitation from potential troop-contributing countries, many of whom have privately signaled that they are wary of entering a live conflict zone where they may be required to confront Hamas.
Rubio attempted to frame the mission as non-combat oriented, saying the ISF “shouldn’t be a fighting force,” yet acknowledged that the agreement underpinning the Gaza peace plan requires Hamas to disarm.
He further insisted that demilitarization was “a commitment Hamas made” — a claim Hamas leaders publicly deny.
Security on the Yellow Line and Gaza’s Future Governance
Speaking directly about Gaza’s internal security map, Rubio said the ISF would be essential to stabilizing areas currently outside Israeli control, including zones west of the Yellow Line where Hamas still exerts authority.
“If you really want to see a huge uptick, not just in humanitarian assistance but redevelopment, you’re going to need to have security — and that can’t be Hamas,” Rubio emphasized.
He added that the long-term goal was the elimination of the Yellow Line altogether, with Israel withdrawing from the entire Strip and a civilian Palestinian administration — vetted and strengthened under U.S. oversight — taking the reins.
“The Israelis don’t want to govern Gaza, we don’t want to govern Gaza, and no country in the Middle East wants to govern Gaza,” Rubio said. “But in the interim, someone has to provide security.”
UN Authorization Still a Hurdle
Despite longstanding Republican skepticism toward the UN, the Trump administration has acknowledged that many nations require explicit UNSC authorization before committing troops.
While the deal signed by Israel and Hamas in October only covered the ceasefire, IDF pullback, hostage-prisoner exchanges, and humanitarian access, U.S. officials say Hamas privately assured Trump aides it would disarm — a claim the terror group continues to deny publicly.
Nevertheless, Rubio said he believes the resolution will move soon.
“We feel optimistic that it’s going to happen,” he said.
The ISF is considered a core pillar of President Donald Trump’s 20-point plan for ending the Gaza war, albeit a plan endorsed verbally by numerous states but formally signed by none.
As Washington races to secure the votes ahead of year’s end, the geopolitical stakes surrounding Gaza’s postwar landscape — and who will enforce it — remain at the center of the Biden-era foreign policy realignment now driven forward under President Trump.
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