On Monday, the United Nations Security Council adopted a resolution drafted by the United States, supporting a ceasefire proposal for the Gaza Strip as outlined by President Joe Biden.
The resolution passed with 14 council members voting in favor, while Russia abstained. The U.S. completed its draft on Sunday after six days of negotiations among council members.
President Biden proposed a three-phase ceasefire plan on May 31, which he described as an Israeli initiative. Some Security Council members questioned whether Israel had agreed to the plan to end the Gaza conflict.
The resolution endorses the new ceasefire proposal, stating, “Israel has accepted the proposal, calls upon Hamas to do the same, and urges both parties to implement its terms fully and without delay or conditions.”
“We are waiting for Hamas to agree to the ceasefire deal it claims to desire,” U.S. Ambassador to the U.N. Linda Thomas-Greenfield told the council before the vote. “Each day of delay brings unnecessary suffering.”
The resolution elaborates on the proposal, stating, “If negotiations for phase one exceed six weeks, the ceasefire will continue as long as talks are ongoing.”
In March, the council demanded an immediate ceasefire and the unconditional release of all hostages held by Hamas.
Negotiators from the U.S., Egypt, and Qatar have been mediating for months to achieve a ceasefire. Hamas seeks a permanent end to the conflict and Israeli withdrawal from Gaza, home to 2.3 million people.
Since October 7, more than 1,200 people were killed and over 250 taken hostage by Hamas, according to Israeli reports. Over 100 hostages are still believed to be held in Gaza.
In response, Israel launched air, ground, and sea attacks on Gaza, resulting in over 37,000 Palestinian deaths, according to Gaza health authorities.
I am an experienced writer, analyst, and author. My exposure in English journalism spans more than 28 years. In the past, I have been working with daily The Muslim (Lahore Bureau), daily Business Recorder (Lahore/Islamabad Bureaus), Daily Times, Islamabad, daily The Nation (Lahore and Karachi). With daily The Nation, I have served as Resident Editor, Karachi. Since 2009, I have been working as a Freelance Writer/Editor for American organizations.
