UNITED NATIONS: The UN Security Council (UNSC) has adopted a resolution on having a ceasefire in Gaza during the month of Ramzan. The resolution also sought immediate release of hostages and ensuring humanitarian access to Gaza.
The resolution, passed late last night at the UN, was tabled by the UNSC’s 10 non-permanent members and 14 voted in favour with none against it. The United States, one of five permanent members of the UNSC, abstained from voting.
The resolution does not condemn the attack launched by the Hamas on Israel in October last year. Israel has termed the non-condemnation of the Hamas “a disgrace”.
Israel and Gaza are locked in a conflict since October last year when the Hamas attacked music festival-goers. The council rejected a Russia-proposed amendment that called for a “permanent ceasefire”.
Representative of Yemen Abdullah Ali Fadhel Al-Saadi, on behalf of the Arab Group, said they valued votes of the 14 states supporting the resolution. The resolution must be considered as a first step leading to a binding resolution on a permanent ceasefire, he said.
The Arab Group also said it “does not want to go against the call for freeing all hostages”.
The group sought immediate compliance with the resolution and accused Israel of prolonging the conflict by “occupying” Gaza. It accused Israel of a “genocidal war, targeting women and children and even adopting a policy of starvation”.
The Yemen representative demanded that Palestine be granted full membership of the United Nations. Gilad Erdan, Permanent Representative of Israel to the UN, addressed the council meeting on the situation in the West Asia.
Israel questioned why the Security Council “discriminates” among victims, recalling that it condemned the deadly attack on a concert hall in Moscow on Friday, but failed to condemn the Nova music festival massacre of October 7 carried out by the Hamas.