UN General Assembly Calls for ‘Unconditional’ Ceasefire in Gaza

The UN General Assembly passed a non-binding resolution urging an immediate and unconditional ceasefire in Gaza, along with the release of hostages and access to humanitarian aid. While 158 nations supported the measure, the United States and Israel opposed it, citing concerns over incentivizing Hamas. The vote follows the deadly October 7 Hamas attack on Israel and Israel’s subsequent retaliatory strikes in Gaza, which have caused significant civilian casualties. A second resolution emphasized support for Palestinian refugees and called on Israel to allow UNRWA operations. The resolutions highlight deep divisions within the international community over the ongoing conflict and call for mechanisms to ensure accountability and address the humanitarian crisis.

Resolution Overview

The UN General Assembly adopted a non-binding resolution calling for an immediate, unconditional, and permanent ceasefire in Gaza.
It also demands the unconditional release of all hostages and immediate humanitarian aid access to Gaza, particularly the heavily affected northern regions.
The resolution was passed by a vote of 158 in favor, 9 against, and 13 abstentions. The United States and Israel rejected the measure, citing concerns over Hamas’s incentives to release hostages.

Context and Criticism

The vote follows the October 7, 2023, Hamas attack on Israel, which resulted in the deaths of 1,208 people, including abductees. 251 hostages were taken, of whom 96 remain in Gaza, with 34 confirmed dead, according to the Israeli military.
Israel’s retaliatory strikes in Gaza have led to 44,805 deaths, mostly civilians, as reported by the Hamas-run health ministry and corroborated by UN sources.
US Deputy Ambassador Robert Wood and Israel’s envoy Danny Danon strongly opposed the resolution, labeling it as “complicit” and lacking fairness.

Broader Implications

The General Assembly has historically addressed contentious issues when the Security Council is deadlocked, as seen with Gaza and Ukraine.
Slovenian envoy Samuel Zbogar highlighted Gaza’s destruction, while Algeria’s envoy Nacim Gaouaoui warned against the consequences of global inaction.

Further Resolutions

A second resolution was passed urging Israel to respect the UN mandate for Palestinian refugee support and allow the UN Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) to continue its operations. Israel has voted to ban UNRWA from January 28, 2024, alleging its involvement in Hamas’s attacks.

Call for Accountability

The resolution tasks UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres with proposing mechanisms to ensure accountability, potentially creating new structures based on past models like the Syrian war crimes mechanism.
Palestinian UN Ambassador Riyad Mansour called for an end to impunity and urged the world to address the humanitarian crisis, labeling Gaza as the “bleeding heart of Palestine.”

This development underscores the international community’s divide over the conflict and the urgent need for a resolution to the humanitarian crisis in Gaza