Wolf-Christian Paes, Hasan Alhasan, Sascha Bruchmann
The future of Gaza and the two-state solution looms over the United Nations General Assembly’s (UNGA) 80th session, scheduled to take place in New York in September 2025. Despite overwhelming support at the UNGA, the United States has vetoed resolutions for a permanent ceasefire in Gaza at the UN Security Council, bringing the international body to a standstill. To signal their displeasure at Israeli policy, several Western states, including Australia, Canada, France and the United Kingdom, have announced their intent to recognise Palestinian statehood at the UNGA’s upcoming session.
With international frustration mounting over Israel’s indifference to the humanitarian toll of its ongoing war in Gaza, a coalition led by Saudi Arabia and several European states, including France and Norway, has sought to apply pressure on Israel and Hamas to accept a ceasefire in Gaza and make progress toward a permanent two-state solution. During a high-level UN conference held in July 2025, against which US President Donald Trump’s second administration unsuccessfully lobbied world leaders, the coalition endorsed a key proposal for the interim governance of Gaza once a ceasefire is secured. The ‘New York declaration’ outlines key principles regulating civilian control and administration, an international peacekeeping and stabilisation mission, and recovery and reconstruction of Gaza – all part of a phased transition toward full Palestinian statehood. show more
Governing GazaNoor Hammad
The declaration envisages drastic changes in Gaza’s governance, but questions regarding the mechanics of implementation abound.
The declaration calls for the establishment of a ‘transitional administrative committee’ under the umbrella of the PA, with both Arab states and Hamas’ politburo having previously indicated a preference for technocratic, rather than political, appointees. It is unclear, however, how long the committee would remain in control, although Egypt initially proposed that it should operate for six months before transferring power to the PA proper. Internal capacity-building, as provided by an international mandate, would be key here as Gaza’s civil service has been decimated by the war. A further point of uncertainty concerns the nature and extent of collaboration between the transitional committee, the PA, and the international stabilisation mission, as well as relevant multilateral organisations operating in Gaza. Much here will depend on the mandates of the committee and stabilisation mission. show more
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