UN General Assembly Calls for ‘Unconditional’ Ceasefire in Gaza

The UN General Assembly has urged all parties in the Gaza conflict to implement an immediate and unconditional ceasefire, emphasizing the need to protect civilians and restore peace in the region.

The UN General Assembly has adopted a resolution urging an unconditional ceasefire between Israel and Hamas in Gaza, aiming to bring an end to the 14-month conflict.

The non-binding document, which was approved on Wednesday with a vote of 158 in favor and 9 against, along with 13 abstentions, demands “an immediate, unconditional and permanent ceasefire” and calls for “the immediate and unconditional release of all hostages.”

The General Assembly acted after the US vetoed a similar document in the UN Security Council last month. At that time, Washington argued it couldn’t support an agreement not directly connected to securing the release of all Israeli hostages held by Hamas. The US reiterated its stance during Wednesday’s vote, with Ambassador Robert Wood calling the resolution “shameful and wrong.”

Wood informed the General Assembly that “given Hamas’s current sense of isolation following the ceasefire in Lebanon, the draft resolution advocating for a ceasefire in Gaza could dangerously signal to Hamas that negotiation or releasing hostages is unnecessary.”

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Israel’s envoy, Danny Danon, contended that implementing an unconditional ceasefire would solely advantage Hamas. “Today’s vote isn’t about compassion; it’s a vote for complicity,” he remarked.

According to local authorities in Gaza managed by Hamas, nearly 45,000 Palestinians have lost their lives due to actions by Israeli forces since October 2023. The United Nations has consistently expressed concern about the severe humanitarian crisis affecting this densely populated Palestinian area. Muhannad Hadi, the UN’s Middle East peace coordinator, warned the Security Council last month that “as winter approaches, the horror in Gaza continues to grind on with no end in sight.”

Israel has stated that its operation in Gaza will persist until all hostages are freed and the threats posed by Hamas and allied groups to the Jewish state are neutralized.

The conflict erupted on October 7, 2023, when Hamas launched an unexpected assault on Israeli cities, resulting in approximately 1,200 deaths and the abduction of over 250 individuals. As per Israeli authorities’ reports, about 100 hostages are still being held captive.