UN Security Council demands immediate ceasefire in Gaza – NRK Norway – An overview of news from across the country

Correction: An earlier version of the article stated that Russia voted against a permanent ceasefire. This is a mistake. Russia voted against deleting the word “permanent” from the ceasefire resolution. Corrected: 17:58.

On Monday, the UN Security Council adopted a proposal for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza.

The Council also demands the unconditional release of all hostages, and the end of all barriers preventing emergency aid from reaching Gaza.

The draft law calls for an immediate ceasefire during the month of Ramadan.

14 of the 15 council members voted yes to the proposal. The United States abstained from voting.

Ceasefire proposals have been stopped several times in the Security Council, most recently Veto powers China and Russia.

Hamas welcomes the decision

The pressure exerted by the international community to reach a ceasefire in the crisis-stricken Gaza Strip has become stronger.

In the proposal now adopted, the Council underscores the urgency of expanding humanitarian access and protection in Gaza.

– It's time to come to a decision. This is very important for Gaza, at least. It's a strong decision and a very clear and clear message, says Nupi researcher Niels Nagelhuis-Schia.

Reuters wrote that Hamas welcomes the decision and says it is ready to participate in an exchange of prisoners from both sides.

The proposal adopted on Monday was drafted by Algeria with the support of Mozambique, Algeria, Ecuador, Guyana, Japan, Malta, Sierra Leone, Slovenia, South Korea and Switzerland.

A clear message to Israel

Shea recalls that the resolutions voted on in the Security Council are binding on UN member states.

However, there are examples of Security Council resolutions that are not followed up in practice. Israel is among the countries that have violated several times in the past UN resolutions that affected it.

But Shea believes it will be difficult for Israel not to follow the resolution voted on today.

– It takes a lot for Israel to stand up to pressure and not pay attention to it. You cannot get a clearer message from the international community.

Shea also believes that the United States is sending a clear signal to Israel by abstaining from the vote. The United States has used its veto power to block ceasefire proposals several times in the past.

– Shea says there is an increasingly clear message from the United States to Israel that it cannot continue like this.

He receives support from Middle East researcher Hilde Henriksen Waag at PRIO.

– The images coming from Gaza, both in terms of hunger and the death toll, make it difficult for the United States to defend Israel's actions, she said.

It also believes the resolution will have an impact, even if Israel can choose not to follow it.

– Israel can practically do whatever it wants, but it must realize that in this case it will have its own ally, the United States, on somewhat fragile ground.

It also points to parallel negotiations between Israel and Hamas in Qatar, where the United States plays a key role. These negotiations are also coming to an end.

– This enhances the possibility of reaching a temporary ceasefire, says Wag.

Israel cancels a visit to the United States

Previously, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu tried to pressure the United States to stop the ceasefire proposal.

Netanyahu said that if the United States does not stop the ceasefire resolution, Israel will stop a planned delegation to the United States.

The two countries were supposed to meet to talk about the situation in the city of Rafah in Gaza, where Israel threatened on several occasions to intervene with ground forces.

Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Galant is already in Washington.

– We have no moral right to stop the war in Gaza until all the hostages are returned home, says Gallant in an official statement published by Reuters.

Shortly after adopting the proposal, Netanyahu confirmed in a statement issued by his office that the delegation would not travel to Washington as previously planned.

– The positional change of the United States harms the war effort and efforts to release hostages.

The White House, for its part, says that it has not received any information about changes in plans to visit Israel, and that the UN resolution does not represent a shift in its policy.

– We were looking forward to discussing alternatives to a major ground attack because we do not believe that a ground invasion in Rafah is the best solution, White House spokesman John Kirby tells Reuters.

The United States is one of the countries that has veto power in the Council, and has blocked decisions on a ceasefire several times in the past.

Therefore, researcher Nobi Shea points out that it was important for the position of the Security Council that they finally succeeded in deciding on a ceasefire.

– Over a long period, they showed hesitation and paralysis on the Gaza issue, he said.

Store: – During peak time

Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Sture (AFP) on Sunday strongly criticized the UN Security Council for its failure to adopt a ceasefire.

– It is important and timely that the UN Security Council now adopts a clear demand for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza, Sture told NRK on Monday.

He described the situation in Gaza as unsustainable.

It is worth noting how the Security Council now describes what is happening in Gaza as a catastrophic humanitarian situation. At the same time, the resolution stressed that the hostages must be released:

– Israel must now allow full access to humanitarian aid, and Hamas must release the hostages without delay.