United Nations, November 14, 2025: The United States on Thursday circulated a second revision of its draft resolution on Gaza at the UN Security Council (UNSC), but the process hit a major setback after China and Russia broke the silence procedure, forcing Washington back into negotiations. Shortly after rejecting the US text, Moscow introduced its own competing draft focused on preserving the ceasefire and reaffirming the two-state solution.
Senior UN diplomats said that the US placed “Revision 2” of its draft under the silence procedure until 6:30pm New York time on November 13. Under this mechanism, a lack of objections signals agreement. However, both China and Russia submitted objections moments before the deadline.
“Once silence is broken, others may also submit comments — and some did — although Pakistan did not,” a diplomat said.
With the silence procedure collapsed, the US must now resume negotiations. Washington may still decide to place its draft “in blue,” the final format before a vote, but doing so without addressing the concerns of permanent members risks an immediate veto.
The latest US revision reflects elements of former President Trump’s broader post-conflict plan for Gaza. Central to the proposal is the formation of a foreign-administered “Board of Peace” to oversee Gaza during a transitional period and the deployment of an International Stabilisation Force (ISF) tasked with disarming armed groups and securing the territory.
The revised draft adds clearer language assuring UNSC members that the board’s authority will be strictly “transitional,” addressing concerns that the arrangement could evolve into a long-term trusteeship.
Crucially, the text also specifies that Israel will withdraw from Gaza “as the ISF establishes control and stability,” outlining a phased exit rather than an immediate pullout — a point that has drawn objections from both Beijing and Moscow.
Following weeks of negotiations with Arab, Muslim and European delegations, the US also included an explicit call to maintain the Gaza ceasefire.
“After the Palestinian Authority reform programme is faithfully carried out and Gaza redevelopment has advanced, the conditions may finally be in place for a credible pathway to Palestinian self-determination and statehood.”
It further commits Washington to establish a political dialogue between Israel and the Palestinians to agree on a “political horizon” for peaceful coexistence.
Russia responds with competing draft
In a rapid counter-move, Russia circulated its own draft resolution on Thursday evening. Moscow’s proposal focuses on preserving the ceasefire, expanding humanitarian access, and reaffirming the two-state solution without introducing foreign transitional authorities or externally imposed governance mechanisms.
The Russian draft:
- Welcomes the initiative that produced the current ceasefire.
- Stresses the need for the ceasefire to lead to “a comprehensive and permanent cessation of hostilities.”
- Demands full, safe, and unhindered humanitarian access for UN agencies and partners.
- Rejects any attempt to alter Gaza’s territorial or demographic status.
- Reiterates commitment to the two-state solution and the territorial unity of Gaza and the West Bank under the Palestinian Authority.
Diplomats say the Russian text anchors itself in existing UN frameworks rather than proposing new international structures.
With two competing drafts now on the table, diplomats predict “intense, possibly prolonged” negotiations in the days ahead. The divide, one senior envoy said, reflects a fundamental disagreement over who should shape Gaza’s post-war administration and how soon Palestinian statehood should become actionable.
Both drafts emphasise the need to sustain the ceasefire and expand humanitarian access, but diverge sharply on governance models, security arrangements, and the scale of international involvement.
The UNSC is now expected to hold another round of consultations before either draft moves to a vote.
