The United Nations General Assembly will vote today on a draft resolution calling for an immediate and unconditional ceasefire in Gaza. This symbolic appeal follows a US veto on a similar text presented to the Security Council.
In late November, the US exercised its veto power to shield its ally, Israel, which has been conducting large-scale military operations in Gaza for over a year. These operations were launched in retaliation for the unprecedented Hamas incursion into southern Israel on 7 October 2023.
The US has tied any ceasefire to the release of hostages held by Hamas. Consequently, the Security Council failed to adopt a resolution demanding an “immediate, unconditional, and lasting” ceasefire in Gaza.
General Assembly to step in
As often happens when the Security Council is paralysed, the General Assembly is stepping in to express political support for Palestinians. Today, it is expected to adopt a resolution nearly identical to the one blocked in November, although General Assembly resolutions are not legally binding.
The draft calls for an “immediate, unconditional, and lasting ceasefire” and the “immediate and unconditional release of all hostages.” It also demands safe and “unimpeded” access for humanitarian aid, including to the besieged northern Gaza Strip, and condemns any attempts to “starve the Palestinian people.”
Death toll and humanitarian crisis
The 7 October 2023 Hamas incursion into southern Israel resulted in 1,208 deaths, mostly civilians, including hostages who died in captivity or were already dead when transported to Gaza. On that day, 251 people were abducted, 96 of whom remain hostages, although 34 have been declared dead by the Israeli military.
Israel has vowed to destroy Hamas, and its retaliatory operations in Gaza have resulted in at least 44,786 deaths, according to figures from Gaza’s Hamas-run Ministry of Health, which are considered reliable by the UN.
“Gaza today is the bleeding heart of Palestine and an open wound for humanity,” said Palestinian Ambassador to the UN Riyad Mansour during last week’s General Assembly discussion. He described the plight of Palestinian children and the devastating conditions in Gaza, urging the world to take action to end the nightmare.
Accountability and investigation
The resolution also addresses “accountability” and calls on UN Secretary-General António Guterres to present proposals for ensuring adherence to this principle, using existing mechanisms or creating new ones.
An earlier draft proposed the establishment of an international mechanism to investigate and prosecute individuals responsible for crimes committed in Palestinian territories since 2014.
The General Assembly has previously created similar mechanisms, such as for gathering evidence of crimes committed in Syria since the war began in 2011.
UNRWA and Israel’s response
A second resolution under consideration today concerns the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA). Its operations in Palestinian territories are threatened by a recent Israeli law that could outlaw its activities. The draft resolution stresses UNRWA’s “irreplaceable” role and calls on Israel to respect its mandate and allow it to operate “without hindrance or restrictions.”
Israel has pre-emptively denounced both resolutions. Israeli Ambassador Danny Danon criticised UNRWA, calling it a “structure of hatred and glorification of terrorism,” and urged its dismantling. The Israeli government has accused more than ten UNRWA staff members of participating in the 7 October 2023 attack.
Israel has broadly condemned the draft resolutions, claiming they malign the country and reflect the UN’s “bias” against it.
Also read: UN appeals for permanent ceasefire in Lebanon, Israel, and Gaza
Source: ANA-MPA
