UN to vote on Gaza ceasefire during holy month of Ramadan
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The UN Security Council is scheduled to vote on Monday regarding a resolution that calls for an immediate humanitarian ceasefire in Gaza during the sacred Muslim month of Ramadan.
The vote is followed by Russia and China's veto of a resolution sponsored by the US on Friday. This resolution aimed to endorse an immediate and sustained ceasefire in the Israeli war on Gaza.
The United States cautioned that the resolution to be considered on Monday morning might hinder negotiations aimed at stopping hostilities involving the US, Egypt and Qatar. This raises the potential for another veto, this time from the American side.
The resolution, proposed by the 10 elected council members, has the support of Russia, China and the 22-nation Arab Group at the United Nations.
A statement released Friday night by the Arab Group urged all 15 council members "to act with unity and urgency" and to vote in favour of the resolution "to halt the bloodshed, preserve human lives, and avert further human suffering and destruction."
“It is long past time for a ceasefire,” the Arab Group said.
Ramadan commenced on March 10 and will end on April 9. If the resolution is approved, the ceasefire demand would only extend for a fortnight, despite the draft's assertion that the lull in fighting should pave the way for a lasting and sustainable ceasefire.
Originally slated for Saturday morning, the vote was postponed until Monday morning at the request of its sponsors made late Friday. Many members of the Security Council are hopeful that the UN's preeminent body, tasked with upholding global peace and security, will advocate for an end to the war.
Since then, the Security Council has passed two resolutions addressing the deteriorating humanitarian crisis in Gaza, but none has explicitly called for a ceasefire. The Gaza Health Ministry reports that over 32,000 Palestinians have lost their lives during the war. While the Ministry's data does not distinguish between civilians and combatants, it emphasises that women and children constitute two-thirds of the casualties.
Additionally, Gaza is confronting a severe humanitarian crisis, with a recent report from an international hunger authority warning on March 18 that famine is imminent in northern Gaza. Furthermore, the escalation of the conflict could potentially push half of the territory's 2.3 million inhabitants to the brink of starvation.
The concise resolution set for a Monday vote "calls for an urgent humanitarian ceasefire for the duration of Ramadan."
It further insists on "the immediate and unconditional release of all hostages," highlighting the critical necessity to safeguard civilians and facilitate the delivery of humanitarian aid across the Gaza Strip.
The United States has vetoed three resolutions calling for a ceasefire in Gaza, with the most recent being an Arab-backed measure on Feb. 20. This resolution garnered support from 13 council members, with one abstention, indicating significant backing for a ceasefire.
Additionally, Russia and China vetoed a US-sponsored resolution in late October, which aimed to pause the fighting for humanitarian aid delivery, civilian protection and the cessation of arming Hamas. They argued that it did not align with the global calls for a ceasefire.
These nations reiterated their veto of the US resolution on Friday, criticizing it for being ambiguous and not meeting the world's demand to end the conflict directly. The vote marked another confrontation among major world powers, amidst tensions between the United States and its ally Israel.