KABUL (BNA): In an emergency session, the United Nations General Assembly approved the second immediate ceasefire resolution in Gaza with 153 positive votes against only 10 negative votes.
The United States, Israel, and Austria were among the countries that opposed the resolution.
The General Assembly convened on Tuesday night, Dec 12, with 153 out of 193 member countries approving a resolution calling for an immediate and humane ceasefire in Gaza, as well as the immediate and unconditional release of all hostages.
In the emergency session, 153 countries out of 193 UN members voted positively for the resolution of an immediate ceasefire in Gaza and the unconditional release of all hostages.
Ten members, including the United States and the Israeli regime, voted against it, and 23 members abstained.
The UK, a key US ally, and countries such as Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, and Ukraine abstained from voting on this resolution.
The Egyptian ambassador to the United Nations described the draft resolution as “balanced and impartial, emphasizing its call for the protection of non-combatants on both sides and the immediate freedom of all prisoners.
Dennis Francis, the President of the UN General Assembly, emphasized that what we witness in Gaza is a blatant violation of international humanitarian laws, with 70% of the victims being women and children.
He urged the immediate cessation of these massacres, stating that what is happening in Gaza represents an unprecedented collapse of the human system.
Hamas welcomed the General Assembly resolution for a ceasefire in Gaza, urging the global community to pressure the Israeli regime to comply with the resolution and halt operations in Gaza.
The resolution, proposed by a group of Arab and Islamic countries, expresses serious concern about the humanitarian catastrophe in the Gaza Strip and the suffering of Palestinian civilians.
It emphasizes the protection of non-combatants in Palestine and Israel by international humanitarian law and calls for an immediate and humane ceasefire.
The resolution underscores that all parties must adhere to their commitments under international law, including international human rights, especially regarding the protection of non-combatants.
It also calls for the immediate and unconditional release of all hostages and guarantees humane access.
Efforts by the United States and Western countries to amend the resolution and designate Hamas as a terrorist group faced opposition from member countries and failed for the second time due to insufficient votes.
The Security Council held a vote following a formal warning from Antonio Guterres, the Secretary-General of the United Nations, about the global threat arising from the Israel-Hamas conflict.
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