On Tuesday, the US modified wording in a draft resolution submitted to the UN Security Council, endorsing an immediate, approximately six-week-long ceasefire in Gaza and demanding the liberation of all captives. This modification, as seen per the draft text obtained by Reuters, is the third, mirroring blunt comments made by Vice President Kamala Harris. The initial US draft articulated support for an interim ceasefire in the Israel-Hamas conflict.
The American stance is to link any council endorsement of a ceasefire with the liberation of captives by Hamas in Gaza. On October 7, Hamas launched an attack on Israel, causing the death of 1,200 individuals and taking 253 people hostage according to Israel’s estimations.
The US administration had previously been reluctant to use the term ceasefire. It had rejected three draft council resolutions, including two requiring an immediate ceasefire, throughout the five-month war. The latest veto by the US was justified on the grounds that such council action might impede the efforts of US, Egypt and Qatar to mediate a halt in the war and a liberation of captives.
President Joe Biden of the US stated on Tuesday, that the decision of accepting a ceasefire agreement primarily lay in the hands of Hamas. This was as talks stretched onto a third day with no visible breakthrough in sight.
Traditional US practice has been to defend Israel in the United Nations setting, however, it has also abstained on two occasions, enabling the passage of resolutions designed to enhance aid to Gaza and propose extended lulls in fighting.
Following the October 7 assault by Hamas, Israel initiated a military counterattack on Hamas in Gaza. Assessment by health authorities suggests this has resulted in over 30,000 Palestinian casualties, with additional losses suspected in the rubble.
Washington has recently been amplifying pressure on its ally, Israel, urging greater measures to facilitate humanitarian aid access to Gaza. The United Nations has warned that a significant portion, about a quarter of the 2.3 million population in the region, are teetering on the edge of starvation.
As per the most recent statement, the United States has announced that they will not be hurrying towards a decision but rather taking the necessary time for discussions regarding their draft. It’s crucial to note that a minimum of nine votes are required for a resolution to pass, with no opposition from the permanent UN Security Council members, which include the United States, France, UK, Russia, and China. – Reuters (c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2024