GAZA, Nov. 18 (Xinhua) -- Palestinian reactions were mixed following the UN Security Council's adoption of a U.S.-drafted resolution endorsing the creation of an international stabilization force (ISF) in Gaza.
The resolution authorizes UN member states and the Board of Peace (BoP), a transitional administration in Gaza that will coordinate reconstruction efforts, to establish a temporary ISF in Gaza to carry out its mandate consistent with international law. Countries will contribute personnel to the force "in close consultation and cooperation" with Egypt and Israel.
Mohammed Zarandah, a 39-year-old father of four from Gaza City, described the resolution as "a good decision," saying it could help end the fighting and bring stability to Gaza, which has endured two years of conflict, displacement, and destruction. He added that it was time to rebuild the Strip and remove any pretext for future Israeli attacks, even if disarmament is required.
Hamas, however, has consistently refused to disarm, considering it a red line, while Israel insists on the disarmament of Hamas and other Palestinian factions in Gaza as part of the second phase of the ceasefire agreement.
Majed Awda, 35, from al-Nuseirat refugee camp in central Gaza, opposed deploying international forces, warning that their presence could become "a bigger problem than the war itself."
He said the presence of international forces would mean their intervention and control over the citizens and the way of life in the Gaza Strip, which is "categorically unacceptable."
Abeer Murtaja, 25, from Gaza City, emphasized that the immediate priority should be the welfare of displaced residents, calling for designated shelters, particularly during winter. Laila Al-Sayed, 40, a mother of five from Khan Younis City, stressed that ending the war is the top concern to preserve dignity and begin rebuilding.
Abdul-Hadi Nashwan, a schoolteacher, said that while the resolution "as a whole is good," what Gaza needs now is "unity, solidarity, and support from Arab countries to stand by the Gaza Strip."
Political analyst Akram Attallah of the Ramallah-based al-Ayyam newspaper expressed concern that Palestinians were not consulted on the proposal. He warned that accepting it could be seen as accepting trusteeship and occupation, while rejecting it might prompt the U.S. to allow Israel to resume fighting if Hamas does not disarm.
In a statement released by the official WAFA news agency, the Palestinian Authority (PA) welcomed the adoption of the resolution, reiterating its readiness to assume full responsibilities in the Gaza Strip within the framework of the unity of land, people, and institutions, and stressing that Gaza is an inseparable part of the State of Palestine.
The PA also voiced readiness to work with all relevant parties "to implement the resolution in a manner that ends the suffering of the Palestinian people in Gaza, the West Bank, and East Jerusalem, and advances a political path leading to peace, security, and stability between Palestinians and Israelis based on the two-state solution in line with international law and legitimacy."
Hamas issued a statement on the same day, criticizing the resolution for not meeting the political and humanitarian needs of the Palestinian people, particularly those in Gaza.
It added that the proposal seeks to impose outcomes that Israel "failed to achieve militarily," and separates Gaza from the rest of the Palestinian territory in a way that undermines Palestinian national rights.
Hamas also warned that assigning tasks to an international force inside Gaza would compromise the force's neutrality and turn it into a party to the conflict. It said that any international force should operate only along the borders under full UN supervision and in coordination with official Palestinian institutions, and should focus on monitoring a ceasefire and facilitating humanitarian aid.
Another Palestinian faction in Gaza, the Islamic Jihad movement, also rejected the resolution, arguing that any force tasked with disarming the resistance would transform from a neutral party into a partner in implementing Israel's agenda.