The war between Israel and Hamas
The UN Security Council calls for a ceasefire in Gaza
Knut Sahlin Ekberg
Updated 18.41 | Published 15.42
A resolution for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza has been voted through in the UN Security Council.
14 of the council's 15 members voted in favor. The United States abstained from voting.
The UN Security Council has voted through a resolution on an immediate ceasefire in Gaza, writes the UN on its website.
The proposal for a ceasefire was drawn up by the non-permanent members of the council and calls for an immediate ceasefire during Ramadan.
In addition to the ceasefire, it is also required that those taken hostage by Hamas be released back to Israel. In addition, the UN emphasizes the need for humanitarian aid to be able to enter Gaza.
14 of the council's 15 member states voted in favor. The United States, which has previously vetoed similar resolutions, abstained.
Previous ceasefire negotiations have not made it past the Security Council.
On Friday, a resolution on a cease-fire had been presented by the United States - but during the negotiation, Russia and China put in their vetoes. The US, in turn, has vetoed three previous ceasefire resolutions.
Netanyahu cancels state visit
The resolution that has now been voted through means an immediate ceasefire, that the hostages taken by Hamas be released "immediately and unconditionally", and that humanitarian aid can enter Gaza.
After the vote, US UN Ambassador Linda Thomas-Greenfield commented on the three parts of the resolution.
- The US fully supports these critical goals, says Linda Thomas-Greenfield.
She continues:
- In fact, they were the basis for the resolution we tabled last week - a resolution that Russia and China vetoed.
In response to the US decision to abstain, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is now canceling an Israeli delegation's planned state visit to Washington, Haaretz reports.
"This withdrawal hurts both the war effort and efforts to free the hostages, as it gives Hamas hope that international pressure will allow them to accept a ceasefire without the release of our abductees," it said in a statement.
White House spokesman John Kirby, in turn, says the decision to abstain does not represent a shift in their policy.
Labeled as a terrorist, Hamas welcomes the decision by the Security Council. Furthermore, the group states that they are ready for an immediate exchange between hostages and prisoners, reports Reuters.
Frida Lagerholm, head of communications at Läkare utan gänneres tells SVT Nyheter that a temporary truce is not enough.
- The humanitarian situation is catastrophic. A permanent ceasefire is the only solution, she tells the channel.
She believes that this is required for supplies to be able to enter Gaza.
The resolution that has now been voted through means an immediate ceasefire, that the hostages taken by Hamas be released "immediately and unconditionally", and that humanitarian aid can enter Gaza.
After the vote, US UN Ambassador Linda Thomas-Greenfield commented on the three parts of the resolution.
- The US fully supports these critical goals, says Linda Thomas-Greenfield.
She continues:
- In fact, they were the basis for the resolution we tabled last week - a resolution that Russia and China vetoed.
In response to the US decision to abstain, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is now canceling an Israeli delegation's planned state visit to Washington, Haaretz reports.
"This withdrawal hurts both the war effort and efforts to free the hostages, as it gives Hamas hope that international pressure will allow them to accept a ceasefire without the release of our abductees," it said in a statement.
White House spokesman John Kirby, in turn, says the decision to abstain does not represent a shift in their policy.
Labeled as a terrorist, Hamas welcomes the decision by the Security Council. Furthermore, the group states that they are ready for an immediate exchange between hostages and prisoners, reports Reuters.
Frida Lagerholm, head of communications at Läkare utan gänneres tells SVT Nyheter that a temporary truce is not enough.
- The humanitarian situation is catastrophic. A permanent ceasefire is the only solution, she tells the channel.
She believes that this is required for supplies to be able to enter Gaza.
Photo: Yuki Iwamura/AP
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