Washington: In a major policy push at the UN Security Council on Wednesday, the United States outlined a new blueprint for the demilitarization of the Gaza Strip that intertwines disarmament, reconstruction and international oversight, asserting that weapons held by militant groups must be permanently removed from the territory through an internationally funded buyback and reintegration program.
U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Mike Waltz presented the plan, emphasizing that the process would go beyond mere ceasefire enforcement and aim to reduce the military capacity of factions such as Hamas, which still controls nearly half of Gaza despite an October ceasefire deal mediated by U.S. efforts. Under that agreement, further Israeli troop withdrawals are contingent upon corresponding reductions in militant weaponry.
“The demilitarization of Gaza will include placing weapons permanently beyond use through an agreed process of decommissioning and supported by an internationally funded buyback and reintegration program,” Waltz told the council. He added unequivocally that Hamas must not have any role in Gaza’s governance, directly or indirectly, in any form.
The U.S. proposal calls for international, independent monitors to supervise the disarmament process and verify that weapons are rendered unusable and destroyed. The buyback scheme funded by donor states would financially incentivize militants and armed groups to surrender weapons as part of broader reintegration into civilian life. While details of contributions and mechanisms remain under discussion, the concept represents a shift from traditional ceasefire monitoring to a structured decommissioning strategy.
The initiative is backed by the Board of Peace, a transitional body created under UN Security Council Resolution 2803 last year to oversee post-conflict stabilization and reconstruction in Gaza. The United States and around two dozen partner nations involved in the board’s formation are working to coordinate international support for demilitarization measures and future redevelopment efforts.
Complementing the weapon buyback plan is the concept of a temporary International Stabilization Force (ISF). Authorized under previous Security Council action, this multinational force is intended to create secure conditions on the ground, support decommissioning efforts, and allow for a phased withdrawal of Israeli Defense Forces from Gaza based on agreed benchmarks linked to demilitarization progress. Waltz noted that contributions from various countries had been pledged, though specifics on participating nations remain confidential.
The ISF would also work alongside newly trained Palestinian police units to maintain public order and assist with a gradual transition toward civilian governance structures. These forces are envisioned as part of a broader security framework mutually agreed upon by Israel, Egypt and mediator states engaged in the peace process.
Despite the U.S. emphasis on negotiated demilitarization, representatives of Hamas have indicated hesitance, saying they have not yet received any detailed disarmament proposal from Washington or mediators. Two Hamas officials cited by Reuters acknowledged discussions on disarmament with various Palestinian factions but stressed that concrete plans remain absent.
Israel’s U.N. Ambassador, Danny Danon, reiterated concerns about Hamas’s firepower, stating that the group still possesses tens of thousands of rockets, missiles and assault rifles some of which are reportedly used against both Israelis and dissenting Gazans. This underlines the scale of the task ahead for any buyback or disarmament program.
The U.S. blueprint forms part of a broader second phase of President Donald Trump’s Gaza peace strategy, which seeks to transition from the ceasefire towards long-term peace, security and reconstruction. Central to this vision are mechanisms that foster demilitarization, empower civilian governance, and ensure sustained international investment in Gaza’s future.
However, significant diplomatic and logistical hurdles lie ahead. Key regional actors including Egypt, Qatar and Gulf states will need to align on their roles in supporting stabilization and reconstruction. Meanwhile, messaging from Palestinian militant factions, who frame disarmament as a threat to resistance rights, suggests that reaching consensus on implementation could be protracted and contentious.
As the Security Council deliberates the proposal, global attention will focus on whether this blend of incentives, oversight and international security deployment can finally chart a sustainable course out of one of the Middle East’s longest-running conflicts.