Trump's Trials - UN Security Council approves international peacekeeping force for Gaza

Episode Date: November 18, 2025

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You're listening to Trump's Terms from NPR. I'm Scott Detrow. We're under invasion from within. If you're not going to protect your citizens, President Trump will. We all serve at the pleasure of the president. The golden age of America is upon us. We are in the golden age. Every episode of Trump's terms, we bring you NPR's latest coverage of the 47th president.

With a focus on actions and policies he is pursuing on his own terms and in the process, taking the presidency into uncharted territory. Today's story starts right after this. I'm Steven Scape. The United Nations Security Council authorized an international peacekeeping force for Gaza and a U.S. plan for the territory. NPR's Michelle Kellerman reports. U.S. ambassador Mike Waltz describes Gaza as a crucible of conflict. A hell on earth where Hamas's brutality and terror met Israel's fierce response.

But he says the Security Council resolution. that passed in a 13-0 vote could help chart a new course. And President Trump will be playing a big role in that. The Board of Peace, which will be led by President Trump, remains the cornerstone of our effort. The board will coordinate the delivery of humanitarian assistance, facilitate Gaza's development, and support a technocratic committee of Palestinians responsible for day-to-day operations. The resolution also authorizes an international stabilization force until December of 2027. Walt says he expects peacekeepers will come from mostly Muslim majority nations.

Algeria's ambassador Amar Benjamin calls that a major development and says the force must protect Palestinian civilians and enable the complete withdrawal of Israeli forces from Gaza. He points to some of the language that convinced his country to vote yes. It clearly affirms no annexation, no occupation, no forced displacement. The Security Council resolution only alludes to the possibility of a pathway to Palestinian statehood. Russia's ambassador Vasili Nibenzha had proposed a different draft, but backed down and abstained in the vote along with China.

Nebenza says the main thing is that this document should not become a smoke screen for what he calls unbridled experiments by the U.S. and Israel in controlling Gaza, and that this does not become the death knell of a two-state solution. Hamas rejected what it called an international trusteeship that's being imposed on the Gaza Strip and said an international force should be neutral and not turned into a party to the conflict. Israel's ambassador says his country will make sure that Hamas is demilitarized and no longer poses a threat. Michelle Kellerman, NPR News, the State Department. Before we wrap up a reminder, you can find more coverage of the Trump administration on the NPR Politics podcast, where you can hear NPR's political reporters break down the day's biggest political news with new episodes every weekday afternoon.

And thanks, as always, to our NPR Plus supporters who hear every episode of the show without sponsor messages. You can learn more at plus.npr.org. I'm Scott Detrow. Thank you for listening to Trump's terms from NPR. Thank you.