The UNSC has backed a proposal outlined by President Biden for a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas in Gaza. It has urged Hamas to accept the deal to end the eight-month-long war.
Hamas accepts UNSC resolution
Hamas said it has welcomed the adoption of the resolution. It said in a statement that it is ready to cooperate with mediators over implementing the principles of the plan “that are consistent with the demands of our people and resistance.”
Russia abstained from the UN vote, while the remaining 14 Security Council members voted in favour of the resolution The resolution supports a three-phase ceasefire plan laid out by Biden on May 31. He described it as an Israeli initiative.
US Ambassador to the UN Linda Thomas-Greenfield told the council after the vote.
“Today we voted for peace.”
The resolution welcomes the new ceasefire proposal. It states Israel has accepted it and calls on Hamas to agree to it. It also “urges both parties to fully implement its terms without delay and without condition.”
Algeria becomes only Arab member to support UNSC resolution
Algeria, the only Arab member of the council, supported the resolution because “we believe it can represent a step forward toward an immediate and lasting ceasefire.”
Algeria’s UN Ambassador Amar Bendjama told the council.
“It offers a glimmer of hope to the Palestinians. It’s time to halt the killing.”
The resolution also goes into detail about the proposal and spells out that “if the negotiations take longer than six weeks for phase one, the ceasefire will still continue as long as negotiations continue.”
The deal however did not contain enough detail for Moscow. Russia’s UN Ambassador Vassily Nebenzia asked what Israel had specifically agreed to and said the Security Council should not be signing up to agreements with “vague parameters.”
“We did not wish to block the resolution simply because it, as much as we understand, is supported by the Arab world.”
Israel’s UN Ambassador Gilad Erdan was present for the vote but did not address the council. Instead, senior Israeli UN diplomat Reut Shapir Ben Naftaly told the body that Israel’s goals in Gaza had always been clear.
With inputs from Reuters
