The UN Security Council passed a resolution on Monday demanding an “immediate ceasefire” in Gaza for the Muslim holy month of Ramadan. In addition to calling for a ceasefire, the resolution demands the “immediate and unconditional” release of hostages and a dramatic increase in humanitarian aid to Gaza. It emphasizes that all parties must follow their obligations to international law. The resolution passed with 14 members voting yes and the US abstaining.
UN Secretary-General António Guterres welcomed the resolution, saying it was “long-awaited,” and called for its implementation immediately after the vote, adding that “failure would be unforgivable.”
The text of the resolution calls for an “immediate ceasefire” in Gaza that would lead to a “lasting” solution. The resolution previously called for a “permanent” agreement, but the US successfully lobbied an amendment changing it to “lasting” over Russia’s objections. Although the US did not use its veto, as it had with previous resolutions, it chose to abstain instead of voting in favor because the resolution did not specifically condemn Hamas’s October 7 attacks. The resolution has a provision “deploring all attacks against civilians and civilian objects, as well as all violence and hostilities against civilians, and all acts of terrorism” but does not mention specific incidents.
In the lead-up to the vote, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu threatened to cancel a delegation to the US if the US did not veto the resolution and followed through with that threat after the vote. His office had not yet commented on the resolution’s passage at the time of publication.
The State of Palestine’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates said before the vote that “The primary responsibility for achieving a ceasefire, protecting civilians, and delivering aid lies with the countries supporting Israel. Recognizing the State of Palestine is a strategic necessity to safeguard the two-state solution and achieve peace.” After the vote, it said, “The ceasefire must always be permanent and sustainable.”
The Security Council’s demand comes after the US vetoed three previous resolutions, and after Russia and China vetoed a proposed resolution on Friday. UN Secretary-General Guterres reiterated his calls for a ceasefire, hostage release and increase in humanitarian aid after his visit to Egypt’s border with Gaza on Saturday, pleading that, “we must silence the guns.”
The US, Egypt, and Qatar are currently mediating ceasefire negotiations between Israel and Hamas. The resolution acknowledges this, and US Ambassador to the UN Linda Thomas-Greenfield welcomed the support of ongoing diplomacy. Israel sent a delegation to Qatar last week to continue talks, and US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said Friday that “gaps are narrowing.” Hamas disputes this, saying the US’s relationship with Israel makes it an unreliable mediator and stands in the way of a final agreement.
Gaza has been decimated in the nearly six months of war, with reports from the BCC and the Guardian showing that at least half of the buildings in the territory have been damaged or destroyed, including entire neighborhoods. Israeli strikes have hit locations including medical facilities and refugee camps, and human rights groups have accused Israel of war crimes. This has had devastating impacts on civilians. Nearly 2 million people, 85 percent of the territory’s population, have been displaced by the violence and more than 30,000 people have been killed—mostly civilians. Survivors face a collapsed medical system and imminent famine.
Palestinian rights groups and President Mahmoud Abbas contend that Israel’s actions amount to genocide, and the International Court of Justice (ICJ) ordered Israel to “take all measures within its power” to prevent a “plausible” genocide in Gaza. South Africa recently asked the ICJ to approve urgent additional measures against Israel amid “widespread starvation.” Israel denies these allegations, claiming Hamas continues to embed itself in civilian facilities, and asked the ICJ to dismiss South Africa’s request.
