On Monday evening, the United Nations Security Council endorsed a plan, originally proposed by US President Joe Biden, advocating for a ceasefire between Hamas and Israel in the Gaza Strip, in a bid to put a halt to the conflict that has been raging on for eight months. They encouraged the Palestinian armed group to accept this framework aimed at bringing the war to an end.
Hamas responded positively to the adoption of this resolution – drafted by the US – and announced in a statement its readiness to work with mediators towards the implementation of the plan’s principles, provided they align with the desires of their people and the resistance movement.
Out of the council members, Russia abstained during the UN vote. The other 14 members gave their assent to the resolution, supporting President Biden’s three-stage ceasefire plan introduced on May 31st. This proposal, Mr Biden expressed, was initialised by Israel. The US ambassador to the UN, Linda Thomas-Greenfield, announced to the council after casting her vote, “Today we voted for peace.”
This resolution not only affirms the new proposal for ceasefire but states that Israel has sanctioned it and requests Hamas to do the same. It presses both parties to promptly and unconditionally effectuate the terms. Algeria, the only Arab council member, rallied behind the resolution, as they believed it could be a means of advancing an immediate and enduring ceasefire. Amar Bendjama, the UN ambassador for Algeria, informed the council of his hope for the Palestinians, “It offers a glimmer of hope to the Palestinians…It’s time to halt the killing.”
The resolution explicitly states that, “if the negotiations for the first phase extend beyond six weeks, the ceasefire should nonetheless endure for as long as discussions carry on.” Nonetheless, Russia’s UN ambassador, Vassily Nebenzia, found the specification in the resolution insufficient and questioned the specifics agreed upon by Israel. He asserted that the security council shouldn’t be consenting to agreements with ambiguous terms.
Despite these concerns, he expressed that Russia didn’t want to impede the resolution’s adoption, citing its endorsement by the Arab world as the primary reason. The Israeli UN ambassador, Gilad Erdan, was in attendance during the vote but refrained from speaking to the council. Instead, senior Israeli UN diplomat Reut Shapir Ben Naftaly highlighted that Israel’s objectives in Gaza had always been unambiguous.
“Israel is dedicated to achieving specific objectives – freeing the hostages, dismantling the operational and political machinery of Hamas and ensuring that the future threat from Gaza to Israel is nullified,” she stated. “Hamas is the sole entity standing in the way of ending this conflict. The responsibility lies solely with Hamas.”
In March, the council demanded an immediate cessation of hostilities, along with the unconditional liberation of all captives held by Hamas.
US, Egyptian, and Qatari negotiators have been attempting to facilitate a ceasefire for several months. However, Hamas’ demand is for a permanent cessation of hostilities in the Gaza Strip and a complete Israeli withdrawal from the enclave of 2.3 million residents.
Responding to an attack on 7th October by militants of Hamas, who govern Gaza, Israel retaliated.
Hostages taken by Hamas on October seventh, numbered over 250, and over 1,200 people were killed, based on figures provided by Israel. It is estimated that more than 100 hostages are still held captive within Gaza.
Israel initiated an air, sea, and land attack on the Palestinian territory, resulting in the fatality of over 37,000 Palestinians according to health officials in Gaza – Reuters
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