The United States has drafted a United Nations resolution that approves a two-year mandate for a transitional governance body in Gaza and an international stabilization force in the Palestinian enclave, according to a text seen by Reuters on Tuesday. The draft was confirmed to the Associated Press by two US officials, who spoke on condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the situation.

The two-page draft text would authorise a so-called Board of Peace transitional governance administration to establish a temporary International Stabilization Force (ISF) in Gaza that could "use all necessary measures" — code for force — to carry out its mandate, Reuters reported. The draft is still being developed and could change, diplomats said; it was shared with some countries this week but has not yet been formally circulated to the 15-member Security Council for negotiations.

The force would be authorised to protect civilians and humanitarian aid operations, and to work to secure border areas with Israel and Egypt, alongside a "newly trained and vetted Palestinian police force" that the ISF would be responsible for training and supporting, according to the text seen by Reuters. It would stabilise security in Gaza, "including through the demilitarization of non-state armed groups and the permanent decommissioning of weapons, as necessary."

The Associated Press reported that the draft was circulated on Tuesday afternoon and is an early template for what would likely be extensive negotiations between members of the 15-member council and other international partners. The ISF would deploy under a unified command agreed by the Board of Peace, in close consultation with Egypt and Israel, after detailed status-of-mission and status-of-forces agreements have been reached.

The second phase of Trump's Gaza plan

The draft resolution would endorse the next phase of President Donald Trump's 20-point plan for Gaza. Israel and Hamas agreed a month ago to the first phase — a ceasefire in their two-year war and a hostage-release deal. The next phase is to establish the Board of Peace and the ISF. The Trump plan also ends Hamas governance of Gaza and says the enclave would be demilitarised. Hamas has not said whether it will agree to disarm and demilitarise Gaza — something the militants have rejected before.

While the Trump administration has ruled out sending US soldiers into the Gaza Strip, it has been speaking to Indonesia, the United Arab Emirates, Egypt, Qatar, Turkey and Azerbaijan about contributing to the multinational force, Reuters reported. Arab and other countries that have expressed interest in participating have indicated that UN backing is necessary to persuade them to contribute troops, the AP reported, and it remains unclear whether Arab and other states will be ready to commit troops. Israel has repeatedly objected to the deployment of Turkish troops.

The draft resolution also calls on the World Bank and other financial institutions to facilitate and provide financial resources to support the reconstruction and development of Gaza, "including through the establishment of a dedicated trust fund for this purpose and governed by donors." It also emphasises the "full resumption" of aid to Gaza by the United Nations and the Red Cross and Red Crescent, and ensuring that supplies are not diverted, the AP reported.

It was not immediately clear when the United States could put a draft resolution to a vote in the Security Council. A resolution needs at least nine votes in favour and no vetoes by the US, Britain, France, Russia or China to be adopted. China and Russia — two of the permanent members — likely will be the biggest opposition for the US as it tries to push through a resolution without either country vetoing it, the AP reported.

"What we believe is that whatever entity that is created in Gaza should have the legitimacy of a mandate from the Security Council," UN Secretary-General António Guterres told reporters in Doha. Britain's minister for the Middle East and North Africa, Hamish Falconer, told the AP that the focus for the UK is ensuring the fragile ceasefire holds and that scaled-up aid keeps flowing, that many questions surround phase two of Trump's plan, and that implementation of the first phase is still unfinished. A State Department spokesperson said discussions with Security Council members and other partners on implementing Trump's Gaza plan were ongoing, and declined to comment on "allegedly leaked documents." The draft was first reported by Axios.