United States, Russia abstain from vote, allowing measure to pass
1 of 3 | A Palestinian man carries his granddaughter, who was killed in Israeli bombardment at al-Najjar hospital in Rafah in the southern Gaza Strip on Friday. The United Nations Security Council on Friday approved a resolution calling for Israel and Hamas to conduct a humanitarian pause throughout the Gaza Strip and to create conditions for a sustainable cease-fire. Photo by Ismael Mohamad/UPI | License Photo
The United Nations Security Council approved a resolution calling for Israel and Hamas to conduct a humanitarian pause throughout the Gaza Strip and to create conditions for a sustainable cease-fire.
While the United States negotiated the drafting of the resolution, it and Russia both abstained, allowing it to pass. A veto by either country would have killed the resolution. Advertisement
The resolution calls for “urgent and extended humanitarian pauses and corridors throughout the Gaza Strip for a sufficient number of days to enable full, rapid, safe, and unhindered humanitarian access.”
The passage of the resolution was days in the making diplomats from the United States wrangled with others on the Security Council who wanted a stronger call for a cease-fire over language that would keep the U.S. from vetoing the measure.
Israel responded to the resolution’s passage with rejection, saying that fighting would continue until all the hostages were released and Hamas destroyed.
“Israel will continue the war until the release of all the abductees and the elimination of Hamas in the Gaza Strip,” Eli Cohen said on social media.
Israel’s U.N. ambassador Gilad Erdan slammed the Security Council for not condemning Hamas for the Oct. 7 attack that started the current Gaza war. Advertisement
“This is a disgrace that reveals the irrelevance of the U.N. in relation to the war in Gaza,” Erdan said.
Hamas said on Thursday that it would not release any more hostages until Israel agreed to a cease-fire.
