United Nations Security Council approves an immediate ceasefire in Gaza

New York – The UN Security Council on Monday adopted a resolution demanding an immediate ceasefire in war-ravaged Gaza during Ramadan and calling for the immediate and unconditional release of all hostages. 14 out of 15 members of the meeting voted in favor of the resolution, while the US abstained. The war between Israel and Hamas has been going on for the past five and a half months. This is the first time that the US has distanced itself from a cease-fire proposal. Earlier, the US had used the ‘veto power’ three times in the UN Security Council on ceasefire resolutions.

This was the Council’s first explicit call for an immediate ceasefire since Israel began a military offensive in the Gaza Strip following last October’s brutal attack by Hamas and other Palestinian groups against settlements in southern Israel, in which over 1,200 people were killed and more than 250 taken hostage.

Israel’s military operation has since reportedly claimed over 32,000 Palestinian lives, mostly women and children, displaced about 1.7 million and left massive destruction across the enclave.

The 15-member Security Council has failed in its four previous attempts to adopt a resolution on the Gaza crisis, most recently this past Friday, when permanent members China and Russia vetoed a proposal led by the United States (another permanent member, along with France and the UK rounding out the so-called ‘P-5’).

#BREAKING
Security Council ADOPTS resolution demanding an immediate ceasefire in Gaza for the month of Ramadan leading to a lasting sustainable ceasefire, and the immediate, unconditional release of all hostages

IN FAVOR: 14
AGAINST: 0
ABSTAIN: 1 (US)

⤵️https://t.co/chqgoyKICb pic.twitter.com/kisp5YDyGT

— UN News (@UN_News_Centre) March 25, 2024

The US, which vetoed three earlier Council texts, abstained today, allowing the measure to pass. Washington’s change in position reportedly came after intense weekend negotiations among Council members.

The first proposal to prevent an Israel-Hamas war was made by Malta in November 2023, the second by the United Arab Emirates in December 2023, and the third by Algeria in February 2024. All three proposals were rejected by the US using privilege.

The Israeli delegation has cancelled a visit to the US

Israel expressed anger at the United States’ absence from the United Nations Security Council vote on the ceasefire resolution. Israel has cancelled its high-level delegation’s visit to Washington after the US did not exercise its veto power.

What is ‘veto power’ ?

The United Nations Security Council veto power is the power of the five permanent members of the UN Security Council to veto any “substantive” resolution. The United Nations Security Council has five permanent members: the United States, Russia, Britain, France and China. Only these countries have ‘veto power’ i.e. privilege. Even if one of the five members uses a ‘veto’, the UN Security Council resolution is rejected.