The United Nations on Tuesday demanded an immediate humanitarian ceasefire in the Israel-Hamas war after more than three-quarters of the 193-member General Assembly backed the move, which had been vetoed by the United States in the Security Council last week.
Israeli ambassador to the UN Gilad Erdan shows a poster with the image of a Hamas leader on it as he speaks to delegates during the United Nations General Assembly expected to vote on ceasefire resolution, amid the ongoing conflict between Israel and the Palestinian Islamist group Hamas, in New York City, U.S., December 12, 2023. Reuters/Eduardo Munoz
The United Nations on Tuesday demanded an immediate humanitarian ceasefire in the Israel-Hamas war after more than three-quarters of the 193-member General Assembly backed the move, which had been vetoed by the United States in the Security Council last week.
Washington does not have a veto in the General Assembly. It voted against the draft resolution, along with Israel and eight other countries. The text garnered 153 votes in favor, while 23 countries abstained from the vote.
General Assembly resolutions are not binding but carry political weight, reflecting a global view on the war.
Israel has refused calls for an immediate ceasefire, saying such a call would allow Hamas fighters in the Gaza Strip time to regroup and rearm.
"This resolution does not condemn Hamas. It doesn't even mention Hamas," said Israeli ambassador Gilad Erdan in the General Assembly.
He then held aloft a placard with a telephone number and the name and image of Yahya Sinwar, a Hamas leader in the Gaza Strip.
"If you want a real ceasefire, here is the right address," Erdan said. "Tell Hamas to put down their arms, turn themselves in, and return our hostages. This will bring a complete ceasefire that will last forever."
Israel has bombarded Gaza from the air, imposed a siege and launched a ground offensive in retaliation for an Oct. 7 attack by Hamas that Israel says killed 1,200 people and saw 240 people taken hostage. Gaza's health ministry says 18,205 Palestinians have been killed and nearly 50,000 wounded.
Most of the 2.3 million people in Gaza have been driven from their homes and the United Nations has given dire warnings about the humanitarian situation in the coastal enclave, saying that hundreds of thousands of people are starving.
A U.N. expert has named over 60 companies, including major arms manufacturers and technology firms, in a report alleging their involvement in supporting Israeli settlements and military actions in Gaza, which she called a "genocidal campaign."
Relations between Israel and Syria, long frozen by decades of hostility and conflict, may be inching toward a fragile thaw, according to multiple sources familiar with ongoing diplomatic assessments.
U.S. President Donald Trump said on Tuesday he will discuss the situations in Gaza and Iran when he meets with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at the White House next week, adding that he hopes to achieve a ceasefire in Gaza soon.
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