WASHINGTON: The United States has formally asked the United Nations Security Council to approve the creation of an International Security Force (ISF) in Gaza with a broad two-year mandate, Axios reported, citing a draft resolution obtained by the outlet.
The proposal, circulated among several Security Council members on Monday, aims to establish a multinational force to administer and secure Gaza until at least the end of 2027, with potential extensions.
According to the draft, the ISF would be tasked with securing Gaza’s borders with Israel and Egypt, protecting civilians and humanitarian corridors, and training a reformed Palestinian police force. The mandate also extends to ensuring the demilitarisation of the Gaza Strip, including the destruction of military and offensive infrastructure and the disarmament of non-state armed groups, effectively targeting any remaining Hamas capabilities.
A US official told Axios that the ISF would act as an “enforcement force, not a peacekeeping force,” empowered to take “all necessary measures” consistent with international law. The deployment would mark the start of a transition period during which Israel would gradually withdraw from additional areas of Gaza while the Palestinian Authority undertakes reforms to assume long-term governance responsibilities.
Board of Peace to oversee governance
The proposed ISF would operate in coordination with a new Gaza “Board of Peace,” which former US president Donald Trump has said he will chair. The Board is expected to function as a transitional governance body, overseeing security priorities, reconstruction funding, and administrative operations until the Palestinian Authority completes its reform programme.
Under the draft, the Board will supervise a technocratic, apolitical Palestinian committee responsible for Gaza’s daily civil administration. Humanitarian assistance would be coordinated through organisations working alongside the Board, including the United Nations, Red Cross, and Red Crescent, while any entity found diverting aid would be banned.
International support
Several nations, including Indonesia, Azerbaijan, Egypt and Turkey, have expressed willingness to contribute troops, Axios previously reported. The draft resolution stipulates that the ISF will operate under a unified command acceptable to the Board of Peace, in close consultation with Israel and Egypt. The US is reportedly seeking a Security Council vote within weeks, with the first deployments planned for January 2026.
