UN Overwhelmingly Demands Gaza Ceasefire, Condemns Israeli Law Targeting UNRWA
The United Nations General Assembly has overwhelmingly approved two resolutions concerning the ongoing conflict in Gaza, demanding an immediate and unconditional ceasefire and expressing strong support for the UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA), Al Jazeera reports.
The first resolution, adopted with 158 votes in favor, nine against, and 13 abstentions, calls for an immediate, unconditional, and permanent ceasefire in Gaza. The second resolution, passing with 159 votes in favor, nine against, and 11 abstentions, strongly condemns a new Israeli law that would effectively ban UNRWA’s operations within Israel. This resolution also demands Israel respect UNRWA’s mandate and fulfill its international obligations to facilitate humanitarian aid to Gaza.
These votes follow two days of impassioned speeches at the UN General Assembly, where numerous member states decried the devastation in Gaza, citing the death toll of at least 44,805 people – largely Palestinian women and children – and over 106,257 wounded. Slovenian Ambassador Samuel Zbogar starkly described Gaza as “destroyed,” with civilians facing “hunger, despair and death.” Algeria’s Deputy UN Ambassador Nacim Gaouaoui highlighted the world’s failure to act, stating that “the price of silence and failure…will be heavier tomorrow.”
Israel and the United States stood in a small minority opposing the resolutions. US Deputy UN Ambassador Robert Wood reiterated Washington’s opposition to the ceasefire resolution, criticizing the Palestinians for failing to explicitly mention Hamas’s October 7th attack on Israel, which resulted in an estimated 1,139 Israeli deaths and the capture of over 200 Israelis. Israeli Ambassador Danny Danon accused supporters of the resolutions of being complicit with Hamas, arguing that demanding a ceasefire without addressing the hostages would side with those “weaponizing human suffering.”
The resolutions, while not legally binding like Security Council resolutions, carry significant weight as reflections of global opinion. Their passage follows a US veto of a similar Security Council resolution on November 20. The language of the General Assembly resolution mirrors the vetoed Security Council text, demanding an immediate ceasefire and the unconditional release of all hostages.
Palestinian UN Ambassador Riyad Mansour previously described Gaza as “the bleeding heart of Palestine,” highlighting the urgency of the situation.
