United Nations – The United Nations Security Council faced yet another postponement in the vote on a resolution urging a pause to the Israel-Hamas conflict as members grappled with the wording of the resolution. The debate unfolded against the grim backdrop of deteriorating conditions in Gaza, with the death toll climbing and a senior UN official expressing concern over the inadequacy of Israel’s efforts to permit aid.
Ecuador’s Jose Javier De La Gasca Lopez-Dominguez, holding the rotating presidency of the Security Council, announced the postponement, stating, “The Security Council has agreed to continue negotiations today to allow for additional time for diplomacy. And the presidency will reschedule the adoption for tomorrow (Thursday) morning.”
The resolution has faced multiple delays, with debates intensifying over the language used, particularly concerning the term “ceasefire.” Israel, supported by the United States, a veto-wielding permanent member of the Security Council, has opposed the use of this term. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu reiterated on Wednesday that there would be no ceasefire in Gaza until Hamas was “eliminated.”
Despite the opposition, Russia and the Arab League increased diplomatic pressure on Israel to bring an end to the conflict. The Russian-Arab Cooperation Forum in Morocco called for a ceasefire, emphasizing the need for diplomatic solutions.
Richard Gowan, an analyst at the International Crisis Group, highlighted the uncertainty surrounding the situation, stating, “It looks like even US diplomats do not know how this saga will end.”
This recent delay follows a previous impasse earlier this month when the United States blocked a Security Council resolution on the war, despite urging from UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres. The General Assembly later adopted a similar nonbinding resolution, emphasizing humanitarian concerns and calling for a ceasefire.
The draft text of the delayed Security Council resolution, prepared by the UAE, initially called for an “urgent and lasting cessation of hostilities to allow unimpeded access of humanitarian aid to the Gaza Strip.” The modified version, however, aimed at salvaging a compromise, urged “the urgent suspension of hostilities to allow safe and unhindered humanitarian access, and for urgent steps towards a sustainable cessation of hostilities.”
United Nations official Tor Wennesland remarked on Israel’s efforts to allow aid into Gaza, stating that while the steps were positive, they fell “far short of what is needed to address the human catastrophe on the ground.”
As tensions persist and the conflict continues, the international community remains engaged in diplomatic efforts to find a resolution and alleviate the humanitarian crisis in Gaza. The postponements in the Security Council vote underscore the complexities and challenges in reaching a consensus amid the ongoing conflict.
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