UN Security Council Adopts Resolution on Gaza Aid; Differences Emerge Over Ceasefire

SUMMARY

  1. UN Security Council passed resolution calling for increased humanitarian access to Gaza, with US and Russia abstaining (politico.com)

  2. Israel expanding ground offensive in Gaza ahead of UN vote, ordering evacuations in new areas (cnn.com)

  3. Entire Gaza population faces imminent risk of famine, UN warns; over 20,000 Palestinians killed (aljazeera.com)

  4. Resolution text softened from earlier drafts, removing call for immediate ceasefire (timesofisrael.com)

  5. Aid groups say resolution helpful but ceasefire still urgently needed to protect civilians (theguardian.com)

Aid, Conflict, Politics

Perspective 1:

The articles detail efforts by the UN Security Council, with support from Arab states like UAE, to pass a resolution increasing humanitarian access and aid to Gaza civilians suffering immense hardship, while the US pushed to soften the language calling for a ceasefire. This perspective sees the humanitarian crisis as urgent and the Security Council resolution as helpful but still inadequate without a ceasefire.

Perspective 2:

Israel and the US resisted calls for an immediate ceasefire in the Security Council resolution, as Israel wants to continue military operations against Hamas militants in Gaza. This perspective is more focused on Israel's security concerns and its objective of defeating Hamas, seeing the humanitarian situation as stemming from Hamas' attacks on Israel. There is less urgency placed on an immediate ceasefire to address the humanitarian crisis.

Perspective 3 + Others

Russia criticized the US for watering down the resolution and not supporting an immediate ceasefire, accusing the US of giving Israel "complete freedom of movement" in Gaza. Russia saw the final resolution as weak and toothless.

Some humanitarian groups like the IRC argued the Security Council failed from a moral standpoint by not demanding an immediate ceasefire to protect civilians, seeing that as the only way to address the humanitarian crisis.

Israel and supporters like Anne Bayefsky accused the UN resolution of bias by not condemning Hamas' attacks and hostage taking, seeing the Security Council as unfairly targeting Israel while ignoring Hamas' actions.

Global Perspective:

THE LONG

The UN Security Council passed a resolution calling for increased humanitarian access and aid to Gaza, according to politico.com, cnn.com, and aljazeera.com. The resolution was sponsored by UAE and passed with 13 votes in favor, while the US and Russia abstained. It called for urgent steps to allow humanitarian access but did not demand an immediate ceasefire, which the US opposed.

Multiple articles including cnn.com, theguardian.com, and aljazeera.com reported that Israel is expanding its ground offensive in Gaza, ordering evacuations in new areas like the Al-Bureij refugee camp. This comes as Israel aims to defeat Hamas militants in their remaining northern strongholds.

The humanitarian crisis in Gaza is increasingly dire, with the UN warning of an imminent risk of famine, according to aljazeera.com and theguardian.com. Over 20,000 Palestinians have been killed since the conflict began in October, the Palestinian health ministry reported by cnn.com. Entire hospitals in northern Gaza are not functioning, and the health system is collapsing.

The final Security Council resolution text was softened from earlier drafts, according to timesofisrael.com and theguardian.com. Language calling for an “immediate cessation of hostilities” was replaced with calling for steps towards sustainable cessation of hostilities. The US pushed for this change, resisting calls for an immediate ceasefire.

Russia criticized the US for watering down the resolution, per aljazeera.com, accusing the US of giving Israel freedom to continue military operations. Some humanitarian groups argued the Security Council failed morally by not demanding an immediate ceasefire to protect civilians, noted by theguardian.com. Israel and supporters accused the UN of bias for not condemning Hamas’ attacks and hostage taking, said foxnews.com.

In summary, the articles highlight contentious negotiations at the Security Council between demands to address Gaza’s humanitarian emergency and calls for ceasefire, versus Israel and the US’s security priorities of defeating Hamas militants. This reflects broader debates on how to resolve the conflict and its impact on Gazan civilians.