The United Nations Security Council, UNSC, is expected to vote in favour of ending the Gaza Strip hostilities after the talks were postponed due to another US veto.
The UN Security Council will meet later Tuesday, with the original draft text of the new resolution calling for “an urgent and lasting cessation of hostilities to allow unimpeded access of humanitarian aid to the Gaza Strip.”
Diplomatic sources reported that the language had been softened to “an urgent cessation of hostilities” and could be further loosened to satisfy Washington and approach a compromise.
“The key sticking point of course we believe is the ‘cessation of hostilities.’ The United States and Israel say that any resolution that has those words in it is akin to a ceasefire and they say that would only benefit Hamas and so the US would reserve its veto power as it has done in the past … We think they are trying to work out some sort of language there.”
Last week, the 193-member UN General Assembly (UNGA) overwhelmingly approved a similar resolution. However, the resolutions are non-binding.
Amnesty International’s Secretary-General, Agnes Callamard, stated that delaying the vote until Tuesday “means that there are negotiations over the text – most probably to avoid another or several vetoes.”
Every hour, every day that passes – civilians in Gaza are dying.
The core issue is how to implement and sustain the much-needed relief operation. On Monday, Human Rights Watch accused Israel of deliberately starving the people of Gaza by blocking the delivery of water, food and fuel. It called this method of warfare a war crime.
The draft resolution recognises that Gaza civilians do not have access to sufficient food, water, sanitation, electricity, telecommunications and medical services “essential for their survival”. The draft also “calls for the UN to monitor all of the aid distribution in Gaza.”
Previous Security Council drafts never had that wording in it.
Discussions over a new truce come as the US reiterates its support for Israel. Defence Minister Lloyd Austin, speaking alongside his Israeli counterpart Yoav Gallant in Tel Aviv on Monday, declared US support for Israel “unshakeable.”
“We will also continue to urge the protection of civilians during conflict and to increase the flow of humanitarian aid into Gaza.”
Gaza’s Health Ministry reported over 19,000 Palestinians died since the outbreak of the military conflict on October 7. Meanwhile, the Hamas attack on southern Israel on the same day, October 7, which triggered the war, killed around 1,100 people.
