The United Nations Security Council passed a resolution Friday calling for the immediate “safe and unhindered” delivery of humanitarian aid into Gaza as the death toll in the Israel-Hamas war continues to rise, with the United States and Russia abstaining from the vote—avoiding a U.S. veto after days of negotiations.
Members of the UN Security Council approved a resolution for humanitarian aid into Gaza.
The Security Council, in its resolution, called for a U.N.-appointed official to oversee the distribution of humanitarian aid and to create a system to accelerate that aid.
The resolution does not include direct calls for an immediate cease-fire, though it did generally push for “urgent and extended humanitarian pauses and corridors,” multiple outlets reported—a previous version of the measure called for an “urgent suspension” in the conflict between Israel and Gaza-based militant group Hamas.
The 13-0 vote follows negotiations between the U.S. and other members of the U.N. Security Council to avoid a veto vote on a resolution calling for a pause in the fighting in Gaza—the United States is one of five countries with the power to veto Security Council actions, and has used that power earlier this month on a legally binding resolution for a ceasefire.
U.S. Ambassador Linda Thomas-Greenfield lauded the measure as a “glimmer of hope amongst a sea of unimaginable suffering,” though multiple outlets reported Thomas-Greenfield said the U.S. was disappointed the resolution did not condemn Hamas’ Oct. 7 attack on Israel.
The resolution comes nearly 11 weeks after Hamas led an attack on Israel, with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu declaring war against Hamas hours later, setting the stage for a major ground invasion of the Gaza Strip. Amid widespread calls for pauses in the fighting and humanitarian aid for Gaza, Hamas and Israel agreed to a four-day cease-fire late last month, and extended that agreement another two days on the condition Hamas release hostages it captured in its Oct. 7 attack and Israel release Palestinians held in Israeli jails. Over the course of the cease-fire, Hamas released about 105 hostages, while Israel released 240 Palestinian prisoners. Fighting resumed on Dec. 1.
In a separate vote earlier this month the U.N. General Assembly approved a resolution “demanding a humanitarian cease-fire” in the war, with 153 member countries voting in favor of the measure. Ten member countries, including Israel and the U.S., abstained from that vote. That measure is not legally binding, though a U.N. spokesperson said it sends a “very important” message regarding global opinions on the fighting, the Associated Press reported.
More than 20,000. That’s how many Palestinians have been killed in Gaza since fighting broke out, with another 53,320 wounded, according to the Hamas-run Gaza Health Ministry. Roughly 85% of Gaza’s 2.3 million residents have been displaced as a result of the war, according to estimates from the United Nations. Israeli officials say roughly 1,200 people have been killed in Israel, mostly civilians killed during Hamas’ Oct. 7 attack.
U.S. Working To Negotiate Humanitarian Aid In Gaza To Avoid A Veto At U.N. Security Council (Forbes)
United Nations Votes To Call For Humanitarian Cease-Fire In Gaza—With U.S. And Israel Voting No (Forbes)
More Than 20,000 Dead In Gaza Amid Israel-Hamas War, Hamas-Run Health Ministry Says (Forbes)