UN Security Council set to vote on Trump's Gaza peace plan amid Israeli far-right anger

The UN Security Council will vote on Monday on whether to give international backing to Donald Trump's Gaza ceasefire plan, in a resolution that has attracted support from Arab states and condemnation from far-right ministers in the Israeli government, as well as Palestinian factions.

On the ground on Gaza on Sunday, at least four Palestinians were killed in a new Israeli violation of the ceasefire.

Members of the Security Council have for the past 10 days been negotiating on the text of the resolution, which would endorse the Trump administration's 20-point peace plan.

It would authorise the creation and deployment of a multinational force inside Gaza and set up a so-called 'Board of Peace', under Trump's leadership, that would govern the territory until the end of 2027.

The Trump plan paved the way to the 10 October ceasefire deal in Gaza, which has seen Hamas release all the living Israeli captives it held and the bodies of almost all the deceased ones.

Israel has eased its bombing of the enclave but has frequently violated the ceasefire, killing scores of people since it came into effect, while continuing to hold up much needed aid and only allow in very limited quantities below the bare minimum Gaza's population needs to survive.

In a bid to secure Arab and Muslim support, the US has amended its resolution to include an explicit reference to a future Palestinian state.  Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has rejected this however.

The resolution now says that if the Palestinian Authority undertakes reforms "the conditions may finally be in place for a credible pathway to Palestinian self-determination and statehood, which we recognise as the aspiration of the Palestinian people".

Arab and Muslim countries, including Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Turkey, Jordan, the UAE, Pakistan and Indonesia, on Friday issued a joint statement expressing support for it.

The US-drafted resolution has been criticised by Russia for not going far enough in its support for a Palestinian state.

It has circulated a rival resolution that declares an "unwavering commitment to the vision of the two-state solution" and supports the Palestinian Authority taking control of Gaza.

The US-drafted resolution is expected to get the nine votes needed to pass, with Russia and China likely to abstain, rather than exercise their vetoes.

'Another form of occupation'

The resolution has been condemned by some Palestinian factions, including Hamas, who rejected the deployment of an international force as a "another form of occupation".

According to the latest version of the text, the resolution would authorise the establishment of an 'International Stabilisation Force' that would be deployed inside Gaza to provide security and help train Palestinian police.

It would also work on the "permanent decommissioning of weapons from non-state armed groups," in what appears to be a reference to Hamas and other factions.

Arab and Muslim countries are expected to lead the force but until now there has been no agreement over the parameters of the mission or who would contribute troops.

In a statement on Sunday, the Palestinian factions described the plan as "a violation of our national sovereignty" and called on Arab states to reject the resolution.

The resolution would also give international backing to Trump's Board of Peace, which would be tasked with managing Gaza's post-war reconstruction and establishing a new administration in place of Hamas rule.

Trump is expected to head the board, with former British prime minister Tony Blair among its members.

Israeli far-right backlash

The resolution has triggered fury among members of Israel's far-right government, some of whom threatened to quit the coalition if Netanyahu does not act against it.

On Sunday, Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich accused Netanyahu of "silence and diplomatic disgrace" while extremist national security minister Itamar Ben-Gvir said his Jewish Power party would not continue in government if Netanyahu allows the creation of a Palestinian state.

In an apparent attempt to placate his extremist allies, Netanyahu said later on Sunday that Israeli opposition to a Palestinian state "had not changed in the slightest".

"Gaza will be demilitarised and Hamas will be disarmed, the easy way or the hard way," he added.

Defence Minister Israel Katz and Foreign Minister Gideon Sa'ar also vowed to block a Palestinian state.

Israel's public broadcaster Kan reported on Sunday that Netanyahu allies and foreign ministry officials were putting pressure on the US to make last-minute changes to the resolution.

Gaza attacks continue

At least four Palestinians were killed in Israeli attacks across Gaza on Sunday as the Israeli military continues to violate the ceasefire.

Attacks were reported in Rafah, Khan Younis and Gaza City through the day.

Israeli forces have killed at least 266 Palestinians and wounded 635 others since the ceasefire came into effect on 10 October, according to figures from Gaza's health ministry.

Israel's military chief Eyal Zamir on Sunday threatened to seize additional territory beyond the so-called yellow line that demarcates land occupied by Israel. 

Israeli forces control more than 50 percent of the territory under the terms of the ceasefire.

"We must be prepared for a rapid transition to a large-scale activity to establish operational control of areas in the Gaza Strip," Zamir said during a visit to Rafah.