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The United Nations Security Council (UN) approved this Monday a resolution calling for an immediate ceasefire during the month of Ramadan, which began on March 11, a vote in which the United States abstained.
Likewise, the resolution also demands the return of some 130 hostages kidnapped in Israel and held in Gaza, and emphasizes the urgent need to allow widespread life-saving aid to reach the starving population of the besieged enclave.
The text has been prepared by the 10 non-permanent members of the Council.
The demand to end hostilities had until now been eluded by the Council following the invasion of Gaza by Israeli forces in October, after Hamas attacks left almost 1,200 dead and 240 hostages.
Since then, Israel's daily bombings, along with a near-total blockade of water, electricity and life-saving aid, have killed more than 32,000 Palestinians in Gaza, according to the Health Ministry, where a recent U.N.-backed report showed the imminent famine.
Reacting immediately after the vote, Secretary-General António Guterres said in X that the long-awaited resolution must be implemented; Failure by the Council “would be unforgivable.”
Thus, the Council demands “an immediate ceasefire during the month of Ramadan, respected by all parties, leading to a lasting sustainable ceasefire.”
It also demands “the immediate and unconditional release of all hostages, as well as the guarantee of humanitarian access to meet their medical and other humanitarian needs” and “that the parties comply with their obligations under international law in relation to all persons.” let them stop.”
In turn, the Council highlights "the urgent need to expand the flow of humanitarian aid and strengthen the protection of civilians throughout the Gaza Strip."
In this regard, the Council reiterates its demand that all obstacles hindering the provision of large-scale humanitarian assistance be removed, in line with international humanitarian law and resolutions 2712 (2023) and 2720 (2023).
Following the vote, the U.S. ambassador and permanent representative stated that by adopting the resolution, the Security Council “spoke in support” of ongoing diplomatic efforts led by the United States, Qatar and Egypt to achieve a ceasefire. immediate and sustainable, ensure the immediate release of all hostages and help alleviate the tremendous suffering of needy Palestinian civilians in Gaza.
“The United States fully supports these critical goals,” said Linda Thomas-Greenfield. However, he said that “a ceasefire can begin as soon as the first hostage is released,” since “this is the only way to ensure a ceasefire.”
The permanent observer of the observer State of Palestine said that it had taken six months, with more than 100,000 Palestinians killed and wounded, to finally demand an immediate ceasefire.
“Your ordeal must come to an end, and it must come to an end immediately, now,” Riyad Mansour told the ambassadors.
He said that Palestinians had been killed if they stayed, or left, and now Israel is threatening an invasion of Rafah. They have also continued their incitement of the UN, attacking the head of the UN and UNRWA. “We must defend the UN,” he said.
Mansour welcomed the adoption of the resolution and welcomed Arab unity in demanding a ceasefire.
However, Israel's ambassador and permanent representative questioned why the Security Council "discriminates" between the victims, recalling that on Friday it condemned the deadly attack on a concert hall in Moscow, but did not condemn the massacre at the Moscow music festival. Nova of October 7.
“Unfortunately, also today this Council has refused to condemn the massacre of October 7; It is a shame,” said Gilad Erdan.
“This resolution denounces the taking of hostages, recalling that it constitutes a violation of international law,” he said, stressing that taking innocent civilians hostage is a war crime.
“When it comes to bringing the hostages home, the Security Council must not just settle for words, but take action, real action,” he added.
Before the vote, the Russian ambassador noted that the fact that the word “permanent” in operative paragraph one of the original draft was replaced by weaker language was “unacceptable.”
“We were all instructed to vote on the text that contained the word 'permanent,'” and anything else could be seen as permission for Israel to continue its attacks, Vassily Nebenzia said.
Therefore, his delegation proposed an oral amendment to return the word “permanent” to the project, instead of “sustainable and durable.” The amendment was rejected with 11 abstentions, 3 votes in favor and one against.
Although a week-long ceasefire occurred in November in which hostages held in Gaza were exchanged for Palestinians detained in Israel, fighting has resumed and has only intensified, while the death toll and malnutrition in Gaza shootings have continued alongside increasingly loud calls to end the war and quickly address the grave humanitarian suffering.
The previous rejected drafts contained basically the same provisions as this new one, as did resolutions 2712 and 2720 that were adopted in late 2023, but points of disagreement among members remain as calls continue for the 15-member Council to adopt a firmer stance to end the conflict.
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