Tuesday, March 26, 2024
Year : 2, Issue : 13
The United Nations Security Council on Monday demanded an ‘immediate’ ceasefire in Gaza during the Muslim holy month of Ramzan, its first demand to halt fighting.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has reportedly cancelled a planned visit to Washington in US by a high-level delegation to protest Monday’s U.N. Security Council decision.
Netanyahu accused the U.S. of “retreating” from what he said had been a “principled position” by allowing the vote to pass without conditioning the cease-fire on the release of hostages held by Hamas.
The 15-nation Council adopted the resolution, put forth by the 10 non-permanent elected members of the Council, with 14 nations voting in favour, none against and an abstention by permanent member the US.
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said in a post on X wrote, “The Security Council just approved a long-awaited resolution on Gaza, demanding an immediate ceasefire, and the immediate and unconditional release of all hostages.”
US ambassador to the UN Linda Thomas-Greenfield agreed that the resolution acknowledges importance of the month of Ramzan, she said, “we must recommit to peace. Hamas can do that by accepting the deal on the table. A ceasefire can begin immediately with the release of the first hostage.”
“And so, we must put pressure on Hamas to do just that. This is the only path to securing a ceasefire and the release of hostages, as we have all called for today. That is what this resolution means, a ceasefire of any duration must come with the release of hostages. This is the only path,” she said.
The US envoy stated that the sole way to achieve a lasting resolution to this dispute is by freeing all of the hostages. (With AP inputs)
