UN Security Council Expected to Vote for New Ceasefire in Gaza
The United Nations (UN) Security Council could vote later a proposal to demand that Israel and Hamas, allow aid access to Gaza via land, sea and air routes.
The AFP news agency reports there is new resolution planned for today, drawn up by the United Arab Emirates, calling for an “urgent and sustainable cessation of hostilities” in Gaza.
The new resolution also calls for the immediate and unconditional release of all hostages and affirms support for a two-state solution.
The us blocked a previous security council resolution calling for a “humanitarian ceasefire”.
Meanwhile, the US Defense Secretary, Lloyd Austin is expected to arrive in Israel today to meet with the country’s leadership as international pressure mounts over the civilian death toll in Gaza.
Austin is expected to also travel on to Qatar and Bahrain for talks on improving security for commercial shipping in the red sea.
Read Also:
More Than 60,000 under Evacuation, As Fighting Rages in Gaza
On Sunday, he was in Kuwait to offer condolences on the death of the country’s emir, Sheikh Nawaf Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah, the previous day.
The United States and Israel oppose a ceasefire because they believe it would only benefit Hamas. Washington instead supports pauses in fighting to protect civilians and allow the release of hostages taken by Hamas in a deadly Oct. 7 attack on Israel.
Israel has bombarded Gaza from the air, imposed a siege and launched a ground offensive in retaliation for the Oct. 7 attack that Israel says killed 1,200 people and saw 240 people taken hostage. Around 19,000 Palestinians have been killed, according to Gaza health officials.
After several failed attempts to act, the Security Council last month called for pauses in fighting to allow Gaza aid access. A seven-day pause – during which Hamas released some hostages, some Palestinians were freed from Israeli jails and there was an increase in aid to Gaza – ended on Dec. 1.
Limited humanitarian aid and fuel deliveries have crossed into Gaza via the Rafah crossing from Egypt, subjected to monitoring by Israel, but U.N. officials and aid workers say it comes nowhere near to satisfying the most basic needs of Gazans.
