Amid rising tensions in West Asia, due to the Israel Hamas war, which is in its eighth month now, the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) has passed a resolution vote on the US proposal for a permanent ceasefire and release of hostages in Gaza on June 10, 2024. The US drafted text calls for Hamas to accept a ceasefire proposal announced on May 31 by President Joe Biden that has already been accepted by Israel. The resolution was notably adopted with 14 votes in favour, zero against and one abstention by Russia, as the country chose not to exercise its veto power.
The resolution which has been adopted aims at reaching a comprehensive ceasefire deal in three phases, according to a United Nations news agency. The first phase calls for an immediate, full and complete ceasefire with a release of hostages, including women, the elderly along with the wounded and return the remains of the hostages who have been killed and the exchange of Palestinian prisoners.
It demands that Israeli soldiers leave Gaza’s populated areas, that Palestinians be allowed to return to their homes and communities anywhere in the territory, including the north and that the humanitarian aid be distributed widely, equally and safely. Phase Two would see a permanent end to the hostilities, in exchange for the release of all other hostages still in Gaza and a full withdrawal of Israeli forces from Gaza.
Phase Three, on the other hand would have a major multi-year reconstruction plan for Gaza and the remains of any deceased hostages still in the strip will would be returned to Israel. President Joe Biden has described the deal as not just a ceasefire that would provide a durable end to the war. More importantly, he said that the terms of the deal had been transmitted to Hamas by Qatar. Meanwhile US Ambassador to the United Nations Linda Thomas Greenfield said that the fighting could stop today if Hamas agrees to endorse the deal by the UNSC.
However, after the vote, the Israeli diplomat Reut Shapir Naftaly said that the war will end only if Israel’s goals are met which include total destruction of Hamas and release of all the hostages. “Hamas refusal to release all hostages through diplomacy has failed and this proves that Israel will have to use military force and means to do so,” she said.
The Israel Hamas war was sparked by Hamas surprise attack on Israel on October 7, 2023 that killed about 1200 people, mainly civilians and saw about 250 others taken as hostages. About 120 hostages remain with 43 pronounced dead. In retaliation, Israeli military offensive has killed more than 37,000 civilians and 83,000 wounded in excess according to the Gaza Health Ministry and it has also destroyed more than eighty percent of Gaza’s infrastructure including schools, hospitals and buildings.
