UN General Assembly to Vote on ‘Unconditional’ Ceasefire in Gaza
The UN General Assembly will hold a vote on Wednesday regarding a draft resolution calling for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza. This action follows the United States’ veto of a similar resolution in the UN Security Council.
The conflict in Gaza was triggered by Hamas’s attack on October 7, 2023, which killed 1,208 people, primarily civilians, according to an AFP tally based on official data. The toll includes hostages who died or were killed while being held captive in Gaza. During the attack, militants also took 251 hostages, 96 of whom remain in Gaza, including 34 believed to be dead.
In retaliation, Israel launched an offensive in Gaza, which, according to the Hamas-run health ministry (deemed reliable by the UN), has killed at least 44,786 people, mostly civilians.
‘The Bleeding Heart of Palestine’
“Gaza today is the bleeding heart of Palestine,” said Riyad Mansour, the Palestinian ambassador to the UN, during last week’s debate on the resolution. He spoke of the harrowing images of children suffering in tents, with little food or hope, and emphasized the need for international intervention to end what he called a prolonged nightmare.
In contrast, Israel has strongly opposed the resolution ahead of the vote. Israeli UN Ambassador Danny Danon argued that peace can only be achieved by dismantling the infrastructure of hate and terror, specifically calling out the UN agency UNRWA for allegedly supporting the October 7 attacks.
Resolution Details
The draft resolution also includes a call for accountability, urging UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres to present proposals on advancing accountability within the UN. Earlier versions of the resolution aimed to establish an international mechanism to investigate and prosecute violations of international law against Palestinians, but that language has been omitted in the final draft set for a vote.
A second draft resolution, also up for a vote, demands that Israel respect the mandate of UNRWA and allow the agency to continue its humanitarian operations without hindrance. This follows Israel’s decision to ban UNRWA’s activities, a move that has sparked global criticism, including from the United States, a key ally of Israel. The ban is set to take effect on January 28.
