Gaza 'Board of Peace': expert comment

Dr Alexander Gilder, Associate Professor of International Law and Security at the University of Reading, comments on the newly authorised International Stabilisation Force for Gaza:

"The UN Security Council has passed Resolution 2803, which creates two new bodies: a "Board of Peace" to govern Gaza during a transition period, and an International Stabilisation Force (ISF) to keep the peace on the ground.

"This is not a UN peacekeeping mission. The troops won't wear blue helmets or take orders from the UN directly.

"Some argue the force should include soldiers from Egypt, Jordan and other Middle Eastern countries. However, peacekeeping forces don't usually come from neighbouring states. This is because those countries may have their own interests in the conflict, making it harder for their troops to act impartially.

"There's also legal ambiguity. The resolution says the ISF can use "all necessary measures" to do its job, which implies military force. But the Security Council hasn't clearly spelled out the legal basis for this. That lack of clarity could cause problems.

"Disarming Hamas will be extremely difficult. It may require military action, which needs proper legal backing and sufficient troops and equipment.

"The force faces a fundamental tension: it needs enough military strength to impose order, but it also needs local support to help implement the peace agreement. Winning that support will be hard if combat operations end up harming civilians."

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