{"id":27855,"date":"2024-03-25T21:03:44","date_gmt":"2024-03-25T21:03:44","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/pakistanintheworld.pk\/live\/?p=27855"},"modified":"2024-03-25T21:34:04","modified_gmt":"2024-03-25T21:34:04","slug":"gaza-security-council-passes-resolution-demanding-immediate-ceasefire-during-ramadan-end-the-war-recognize-palestine-members-urge-unsc","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/pakistanintheworld.pk\/live\/gaza-security-council-passes-resolution-demanding-immediate-ceasefire-during-ramadan-end-the-war-recognize-palestine-members-urge-unsc\/","title":{"rendered":"Gaza: Security Council Passes Resolution Demanding Immediate Ceasefire\u2019 During Ramadan -&#8220;End the War &#8211; Recognize Palestine&#8221; &#8211; Members Urge UNSC"},"content":{"rendered":"<div class=\"field-content\">\n<h5><strong><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-27860\" src=\"https:\/\/pakistanintheworld.pk\/live\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/UNSC_Palestine_Gaza.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"700\" height=\"430\" srcset=\"https:\/\/pakistanintheworld.pk\/live\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/UNSC_Palestine_Gaza.jpg 700w, https:\/\/pakistanintheworld.pk\/live\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/UNSC_Palestine_Gaza-300x184.jpg 300w, https:\/\/pakistanintheworld.pk\/live\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/UNSC_Palestine_Gaza-356x220.jpg 356w, https:\/\/pakistanintheworld.pk\/live\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/UNSC_Palestine_Gaza-696x428.jpg 696w, https:\/\/pakistanintheworld.pk\/live\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/UNSC_Palestine_Gaza-684x420.jpg 684w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 700px) 100vw, 700px\" \/>ISLAMABAD: 25 March 2024 (Editor&#8217;s Desk) &#8211; The UN Security Council on Monday passed a resolution demanding an immediate ceasefire for the month of Ramadan, the immediate and unconditional release of hostages and &#8220;the urgent need to expand the flow&#8221; of aid into Gaza. There were 14 votes in favour with the United States abstaining. Reacting immediately after the vote, Secretary-General Ant\u00f3nio Guterres said on X that the long-awaited resolution must be implemented.<\/strong><\/h5>\n<h5><strong>The Council\u2019s failure to do so \u201cwould be unforgivable\u201d, he stated.<\/strong><\/h5>\n<h5>The resolution is the initiative of the countries elected to the 15 member Security Council, led by Algeria, Ecuador, Guyana, Japan, Malta, Mozambique, the Republic of Korea, Sierra Leone, Slovenia, and Switzerland, joined by 3 permanent members (Veto Powers)Russia, France and China.<\/h5>\n<h5><strong>Three main demands: Ceasefire, return hostages, let aid into Gaza<\/strong><\/h5>\n<h5>The resolution is a bare-bones call for a ceasefire during the month of Ramadan, which began on 11 March. It also demands the return of about 130 hostages seized in Israel and still held in Gaza and emphasizes the urgent need to allow ample lifesaving aid to reach a starving population in the besieged enclave.<\/h5>\n<h5>The demand to end hostilities has so far eluded the Council following the Israeli forces\u2019 invasion of Gaza in October after Hamas attacks left almost 1,200 dead and 240 taken hostage.<\/h5>\n<h5>Since then, Israel\u2019s daily bombardment alongside its near total blockade of water, electricity and lifesaving aid has killed more than 32,000 Palestinians in Gaza, \u00a0according to the health ministry there, where a recent\u00a0UN-backed report showed an imminent\u00a0famine unfolding.<\/h5>\n<h5><em><strong>The highlights of the resolution are :<\/strong><\/em><\/h5>\n<ul>\n<li>\n<h5>The UN Security Council adopts a resolution tabled by its 10 non-permanent members (E-10) demanding a ceasefire in Gaza during Ramadan, by a vote of 14 in favour to none against, with one abstention (United States)<\/h5>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<h5>Resolution 2728 also calls for the immediate release of hostages and for ensuring humanitarian access to Gaza<\/h5>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<h5>The Council rejected a Russia-proposed amendment that would have called for a permanent ceasefire<\/h5>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<h5>The US ambassador said her delegation \u201cfully supports\u201d the critical objectives of the draft<\/h5>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<h5>Algeria\u2019s ambassador says the ceasefire will end \u201cthe bloodbath\u201d<\/h5>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<h5>\u201cThis must be a turning point,\u201d says the ambassador for the observer State of Palestine<\/h5>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<h5>The draft\u2019s lack of condemnation of Hamas is \u201ca disgrace\u201d, says Israel\u2019s ambassador<\/h5>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h5 style=\"text-align: center;\"><span style=\"color: #ff0000;\"><em><strong>Israel for condemnation of Hamas<\/strong> <\/em><\/span><\/h5>\n<h5><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-27863\" src=\"https:\/\/pakistanintheworld.pk\/live\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/Israel-e1711401269825.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"200\" \/>Gilad Erdan, Ambassador and Permanent Representative of Israel, questioned why the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.un.org\/securitycouncil\/\">Security Council<\/a> \u201cdiscriminates\u201d among victims, recalling that it condemned the deadly attack on a concert hall in Moscow on Friday, but failed to condemn the Nova music festival massacre of 7 October.<\/h5>\n<h5>\u201cCivilians, no matter where they live, deserve to enjoy music in safety and security, and the Security Council should have the moral clarity to condemn such acts of terror equally, without discrimination,\u201d he said.<\/h5>\n<h5>\u201cSadly, today as well, this Council refused to condemn the 7 October massacre; this is a disgrace,\u201d he added.<\/h5>\n<h5>Mr. Erdan further noted that for the past 18 years, Hamas initiated ceaseless attacks against Israelis, launching &#8220;thousands and thousands of indiscriminate rockets and missiles against civilians\u201d.<\/h5>\n<h5>He added that while the resolution failed to condemn Hamas, it did \u201cstate something that should have been the driving moral force\u201d.<\/h5>\n<h5>\u201cThis resolution denounces the taking of hostages, recalling that it is in violation of international law,\u201d he said, underscoring that taking innocent civilians hostage is a war crime.<\/h5>\n<h5>\u201cWhen it comes to bringing the hostages home, the Security Council must not settle for words alone, but take action, real action,\u201d he said.<\/h5>\n<\/div>\n<h5 style=\"text-align: center;\"><span style=\"color: #ff0000;\"><em><strong>Gaza&#8217;s Ordeal Must End Now : Palestine<\/strong><\/em><\/span><\/h5>\n<h5><strong><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-27864\" src=\"https:\/\/pakistanintheworld.pk\/live\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/Palestine-1.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"200\" \/><\/strong>Riyad Mansour, Permanent Observer for the observer State of Palestine, said it had taken six months, with more than 100,000 Palestinians killed and maimed, to finally demand an immediate ceasefire.<\/h5>\n<h5>The Palestinians in Gaza have shouted, cried, cursed and prayed, defying the odds time and time again. Now, they live with famine, with many buried under the rubble of their own houses.<\/h5>\n<h5>\u201cTheir ordeal must come to an end, and it must come to an immediate end now,\u201d he told ambassadors.<\/h5>\n<h5>He said the rule of international law was being destroyed by Israel\u2019s crimes. Instead of implementing a mandatory order from the International Court of Justice (<a href=\"https:\/\/www.icj-cij.org\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">ICJ<\/a>), Israel has doubled down on its actions.<\/h5>\n<h5>He said Palestinians had been killed if they stayed or left, and now, Israel threatens an invasion of Rafah.<\/h5>\n<h5>Israel has also continued its incitement against the UN, attacking the UN chief and the UN relief agency, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.unrwa.org\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">UNRWA<\/a>. The UN must be defended, he said.<\/h5>\n<h5>\u201cThis outrageous incitement has real-life consequences for UN and humanitarian staff on the ground who are targets of attacks, who are killed, arrested and tortured,\u201d, he warned.<\/h5>\n<h5>It also has real-life consequences for the blocking of UNRWA aid. \u201cIt is time for all these Israeli actions to trigger a serious international action,\u201d he said.<\/h5>\n<h5>He welcomed the adoption of the resolution and saluted Arab unity in demanding the ceasefire.<\/h5>\n<h5>\u201cThis must be a turning point; this must lead to saving lives on the ground. This must signal the end of this assault of atrocities against our people,\u201d he said, declaring that his entire nation was \u201cbeing murdered\u201d.<\/h5>\n<h5 style=\"text-align: center;\"><span style=\"color: #ff0000;\"><strong>Russia: Council must work towards permanent ceasefire<\/strong><\/span><\/h5>\n<h5><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-27868\" src=\"https:\/\/pakistanintheworld.pk\/live\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/Russia_1.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"200\" \/>Mr. Nebenzia, Russian Ambassador and Permanent Representative, said that his country voted in favour of the resolution as it called for an immediate ceasefire, \u201ceven if it is limited to the month of Ramadan\u201d.<\/h5>\n<h5>\u201cUnfortunately, what happens after that ends remains unclear since the word \u2018lasting\u2019 could be interpreted in various ways,\u201d he said.<\/h5>\n<h5>\u201cThose who are providing cover for Israel still want to give it a free hand,\u201d he added, expressing hope that the wording contained in the resolution \u201cwill be used in\u00a0the interests of peace rather than advancing the inhumane Israeli operation against the Palestinians\u201d.<\/h5>\n<h5>The word \u201cpermanent\u201d would be more precise, the ambassador said, voicing his delegation\u2019s \u201cdisappointment\u201d that Russia&#8217;s proposal &#8220;did not make it through&#8221;.<\/h5>\n<h5>\u201cNevertheless, we believe it is fundamentally important to vote in favour of peace,\u201d he said, urging the Security Council to continue to work on achieving a permanent ceasefire.<\/h5>\n<h5 style=\"text-align: center;\"><span style=\"color: #ff0000;\"><strong>Humanitarian pause key, then sustainable peace: UK<\/strong><\/span><\/h5>\n<h5><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-27869\" src=\"https:\/\/pakistanintheworld.pk\/live\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/Britain_1.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"200\" \/>United Kingdom Ambassador Barbara Woodward said her country had long been calling for an immediate humanitarian pause leading to a sustainable ceasefire without a return to destruction, fighting and loss of life as the fastest way to get hostages out and aid in.<\/h5>\n<h5>That is what this resolution calls for and why the UK voted in favour of the text. &#8220;We regret that this resolution has not condemned the terrorist attacks perpetrated by Hamas on 7 October,&#8221; she said, but it sets out the urgent demand for the unconditional release of all hostages.<\/h5>\n<h5>Now, the Council must focus on an immediate humanitarian pause leading to a lasting, sustainable peace without a return to fighting.<\/h5>\n<h5>That means the formation of a new Palestinian Government for the West Bank and Gaza accompanied by an international support package, Ambassador Woodward said, as well as ending Hamas&#8217;s ability to launch attacks.<\/h5>\n<h5>There must be a pathway towards a two-State solution with Israel and Palestine, living side-by-side in security and peace.<\/h5>\n<h5 style=\"text-align: center;\"><span style=\"color: #ff0000;\"><strong>Too late for some: China<\/strong><\/span><\/h5>\n<h5>Zhang Jun, Ambassador and Permanent Representative of China to the UN, thanked the E-10 Council members for their efforts on the draft.<\/h5>\n<h5>Noting that his country\u2019s negative vote on the US-led draft resolution last Friday, he stated that a comparison of the two drafts showed the differences.<\/h5>\n<h5>\u201cThe current draft is unequivocal and correct in its direction, demanding an immediate ceasefire, while the previous one was evasive and ambiguous,\u201d he said, adding that the present resolution also reflected the general expectations of the international community and enjoyed the collective support of Arab nations.<\/h5>\n<h5>He said China had forced the US to realise it could not continue obstructing the Council.<\/h5>\n<h5>\u201cFor the lives that have already perished, the Council resolution today comes too late,\u201d he said, but for those still living in the Strip, the resolution represents \u201clong awaited hope\u201d.<\/h5>\n<h5>\u201cAll harm to civilians must cease immediately\u201d and the offensive must end, he said.<\/h5>\n<h5 style=\"text-align: center;\"><span style=\"color: #ff0000;\"><strong>After &#8216;deafening silence&#8217;, Council must focus on solutions: France<\/strong><\/span><\/h5>\n<h5><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-27865\" src=\"https:\/\/pakistanintheworld.pk\/live\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/France_1.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"199\" \/>French Ambassador and Permanent Representative Nicholas de Rivi\u00e8re\u00a0 welcomed the adoption of the resolution, stressing that \u201cit was high time\u201d that the Security Council act.<\/h5>\n<h5>\u201cThe adoption of this resolution demonstrates that the Security Council can still act when all of its members make the necessary effort to discharge their mandate,\u201d he said.<\/h5>\n<h5>\u201cThe Security Council\u2019s silence on Gaza was becoming deafening, it is high time now for the Council to finally contribute to finding a solution to this crisis,\u201d he continued, noting that it is not yet over and that the 15-member body will have to remain mobilised and immediately get to work.<\/h5>\n<h5>\u201cIt will have to, following Ramadan, which finishes in two weeks, [the Council] will have to establish a permanent ceasefire,\u201d the ambassador added, stressing also the importance of the two-State solution.<\/h5>\n<h5 style=\"text-align: center;\"><span style=\"color: #ff0000;\"><strong>Resolution must make a difference: Republic of Korea<\/strong><\/span><\/h5>\n<h5>The Republic of Korea\u2019s Ambassador Hwang Joonkook said it was the first ever resolution from the E-10 to be adopted on this Middle East agenda and represents a huge breakthrough.<\/h5>\n<h5>But, for today\u2019s resolution to have concrete significance, it must have a tangible impact in Gaza itself, he said.<\/h5>\n<h5>\u201cThe situation must be different before and after this resolution. This will only be possible when both Israel and Hamas respect and faithfully implement this resolution.\u201d<\/h5>\n<h5>The parties must understand this resolution reflects the consensus of the international community, starting right now with a ceasefire.<\/h5>\n<h5 style=\"text-align: center;\"><span style=\"color: #ff0000;\"><strong>Supporting crucial talks: US<\/strong><\/span><\/h5>\n<h5>US Ambassador and Permanent Representative Linda Thomas-Greenfield said that in adopting the resolution, the Security Council \u201cspoke out in support\u201d of the ongoing diplomatic efforts led by the Washington, Qatar and Egypt to bring about an immediate and sustainable ceasefire, secure the immediate release of all hostages and help alleviate the tremendous suffering of Palestinian civilians in need in Gaza.<\/h5>\n<h5>\u201cThe United States fully supports these critical objectives,\u201d she said.<\/h5>\n<h5>\u201cIn fact, they were the foundation of the resolution we put forward last week \u2013 a resolution that Russia and China vetoed.\u201d<\/h5>\n<h5>Emphasizing that her country\u2019s support for the objectives \u201cis not simply rhetorical\u201d, Ms. Thomas-Greenfield said that the US \u201cis working around the clock to make them real on the ground, through diplomacy\u201d.<\/h5>\n<h5>She urged Council members to be clear that a ceasefire could have come \u201cmonths ago\u201d had Hamas been ready to release the hostages, accusing the group of throwing roadblocks in the path of peace.<\/h5>\n<h5>\u201cSo today, my ask to the members of this Council\u2026is \u2018speak out and demand unequivocally that Hamas accepts the deal on the\u00a0 table\u2019,\u201d she said.<\/h5>\n<h5 style=\"text-align: center;\"><span style=\"color: #ff0000;\"><strong>The resolution is end of Bloodbath in Gaza; Algeria<\/strong><\/span><\/h5>\n<h5><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-27866\" src=\"https:\/\/pakistanintheworld.pk\/live\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/Algeria_1.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"200\" \/>Algeria\u2019s Ambassador Amar Benjama said the draft will put an end to the massacres that have been going on for five months in Gaza.<\/h5>\n<h5>\u201cThe bloodbath has gone far too long,\u201d he said. \u201cFinally, the Security Council is responding to the calls of the international community and the Secretary-General.\u201d<\/h5>\n<h5>The draft conveys a clear message to the Palestinian people, he said, &#8220;the international community, in its entirety, did not abandon you.\u201d<\/h5>\n<h5>\u201cAdopting today\u2019s resolution is only the beginning to meet the aspirations of the Palestinian people\u2026and to put an end to the bloodbath without any conditions.\u201d<\/h5>\n<h5><\/h5>\n<h5><\/h5>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>ISLAMABAD: 25 March 2024 (Editor&#8217;s Desk) &#8211; The UN Security Council on Monday passed a resolution demanding an immediate ceasefire for the month of Ramadan, the immediate and unconditional release of hostages and &#8220;the urgent need to expand the flow&#8221; of aid into Gaza. There were 14 votes in favour with the United States abstaining. [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":27860,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[24],"tags":[316,1177,1258,302,285,154,1219,443,318],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/pakistanintheworld.pk\/live\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/27855"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/pakistanintheworld.pk\/live\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/pakistanintheworld.pk\/live\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pakistanintheworld.pk\/live\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pakistanintheworld.pk\/live\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=27855"}],"version-history":[{"count":8,"href":"https:\/\/pakistanintheworld.pk\/live\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/27855\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":27870,"href":"https:\/\/pakistanintheworld.pk\/live\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/27855\/revisions\/27870"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pakistanintheworld.pk\/live\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/27860"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/pakistanintheworld.pk\/live\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=27855"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pakistanintheworld.pk\/live\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=27855"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pakistanintheworld.pk\/live\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=27855"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}