The vote was by 12 votes, with the United States, the United Kingdom and Russia abstaining from voting.
The draft resolution reduced the language of the resolution from “request” to “invitation.” He also softened the demand to calling for “the immediate and unconditional release of all hostages held by Hamas and other groups.”
The resolution calls for truces and humanitarian corridors across the Gaza Strip “for a sufficient number of days” for unhindered access by the United Nations, Red Cross and other relief groups to deliver water, electricity, fuel and medical supplies to all those in need. He says the truces must also allow for the repair of necessary infrastructure and enable urgent rescue and recovery efforts to be carried out.
Malta, which submitted the draft resolution, had called for a vote after lengthy negotiations.
Russia proposed an amendment to the resolution before the vote that would call for a permanent humanitarian truce leading to a ceasefire. But it was rejected by a vote of 5 to 1, with nine abstentions because it failed to obtain the minimum of nine “yes” votes.
But the resolution, sponsored by Malta, actually brought together the 15 members of the UN’s most powerful body in the first reaction to the ongoing war that is having catastrophic humanitarian consequences in Gaza.
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2023-11-15 20:54:56
