[News] UN Security Council adopts resolution demanding immediate Gaza ceasefire

[Anti-Imperialist News]

aljazeera.com
<https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2024/3/25/un-security-council-adopts-resolution-calling-for-immediate-gaza-ceasefire>
UN Security Council adopts resolution demanding immediate Gaza ceasefire
Al Jazeera
March 25, 2024
------------------------------

The United Nations Security Council has demanded an immediate ceasefire
between Israel and the Palestinian group Hamas in Gaza and the immediate
and unconditional release of all hostages as the United States abstained
from the vote.

The remaining 14 council members voted for the resolution on Monday.

Speaking after the vote, US ambassador to the UN Linda Thomas-Greenfield
blamed Hamas for the delay in passing a ceasefire resolution.

“We did not agree with everything with the resolution,” which she says is
the reason why the US abstained.

“Certain key edits were ignored, including our request to add a
condemnation of Hamas,” Thomas-Greenfield said. She stressed that the
release of captives will lead to the increase in humanitarian aid in the
besieged coastal enclave.

In a statement following the vote, the White House said the final
resolution did not have language the US deems essential, and the vote does
not represent a shift in policy.
[image: U.S. Representative to the United Nations Linda Thomas-Greenfield
abstains]US Representative to the United Nations Linda Thomas-Greenfield
abstains, during a vote on a Gaza resolution that demands an immediate
ceasefire for the month of Ramadan [Andrew Kelly/Reuters]

But Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office said the US failure
to veto the resolution is a “clear retreat” from its previous position, and
would hurt war efforts against Hamas as well as efforts to release over 130
hostages.

His office also said Netanyahu will not be sending a high-level delegation
to Washington in light of the new US position.

US President Joe Biden had requested to meet Israeli officials to discuss
Israeli plans for a ground invasion of Rafah in southern Gaza, where more
than 1 million internally displaced Palestinians are sheltering.
‘Crisis not over’

Al Jazeera’s diplomatic editor James Bays said this is still a “very, very
significant” development.

The latest news from around the world. Timely. Accurate. Fair.

“After almost six months … the vote, almost unanimous,” has demanded a
lasting and immediate ceasefire in Gaza.

“The US has used its veto three times,” Bays said. “This time, the US let
this pass”.

“Resolutions of the Security Council are international law, they are always
seen as binding on all the member states of the United Nations,” he added.

The vote came amid international calls to bring the months-long conflict to
an end, as Israeli forces pummel Gaza with one of the most destructive
campaigns, and humanitarian conditions in the besieged strip reach critical
levels
<https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2023/12/21/entire-gaza-population-facing-hunger-crisis-famine-risk-un-backed-report>
.

More than 90 percent of Gaza’s 2.3 million residents have been displaced,
and conditions under total Israeli siege and bombardment have pushed Gaza
to the brink of famine, the UN has said.

More than 32,000 Palestinians have been killed since October 7, mostly
women and children, while the remaining population is experiencing
catastrophic hunger.

In remarks following the vote, France urged work on a permanent ceasefire
between Israel and Hamas.

“This crisis is not over. Our council will have to remain mobilised and
immediately get back to work. After Ramadan, which ends in two weeks, it
will have to establish a permanent ceasefire,” said France’s UN
representative, Nicolas de Riviere.

*More to come…*
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