https://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-68662011
The UN Security Council has adopted a resolution calling for an immediate ceasefire in the Gaza Strip. This is the first such call approved by the UN Security Council during Israel's war against the Hamas group, which carried out an attack on Israeli territory in October 2023. Until now, the United States has blocked similar Security Council resolutions, but this time the representative of Washington abstained from voting.
Last week, Russia and China also blocked a resolution on the situation in the Gaza Strip proposed by the United States. It linked the call for an immediate ceasefire to the release of Israeli hostages held by Hamas militants.
The resolution adopted on Monday was proposed by non-permanent members of the UN Security Council. Its text also calls for the immediate and unconditional release of the hostages. The fact that the United States has not blocked the current UN Security Council resolution indicates growing disagreements between Washington and Israel over the operation in the Gaza Strip.
In particular, American authorities criticized Israel due to the growing number of civilian casualties in Gaza. According to the enclave's Hamas-controlled health ministry, more than 32 thousand people have been killed in Gaza since the start of the war, most of them women and children.
The US also called on Israel to do more to deliver humanitarian aid to Gaza as the entire population of the strip faces famine. UN officials accused Israel of preventing aid from reaching Gaza. However, Israeli authorities say UN agencies were unable to ensure food distribution.
In connection with Washington's decision not to interfere with the adoption of the UN Security Council resolution, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu canceled the visit of the Israeli delegation to the White House. US presidential administration spokesman John Kirby said that Washington is not changing its position regarding Israel. "We have always taken a clear position and have always supported a truce as part of the hostage deal," Kirby said.
He added that the United States decided to abstain because the resolution did not condemn Hamas, but the document “sufficiently reflects our view that the truce and the release of the hostages are linked.”
UN Security Council resolutions are generally considered to have the force of law. Israel will now have to decide whether to implement the resolution, whose adoption was welcomed by Hamas and the Palestinian representative to the UN. Netanyahu's coalition government relies, among other things, on extremist, ultra-nationalist Jewish parties. They will demand that the resolution be ignored. If Netanyahu listens, the United States will have to respond somehow.
If mere words are again not enough, then the most important lever at Biden's disposal is the air bridge over which military aid is transferred to Israel. Huge military transports have already made dozens of trips, delivering ammunition that Israel has already used up in Gaza or is about to use up during the Rafah offensive.
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