UNITED NATIONS—The United Nations Security Council is set to vote on a United States-sponsored resolution declaring that “an immediate and sustained cease-fire” in the Israel-Hamas war in Gaza is “imperative” to protect civilians and enable humanitarian aid to be delivered to more than 2 million hungry Palestinians.
US Ambassador Linda Thomas-Greenfield said she was optimistic that the new, tougher draft resolution would be approved Friday by the 15-member council.
Russia and China vetoed a US-sponsored resolution in late October calling for pauses in the fighting to deliver aid, protection of civilians, and a halt to arming Hamas. They said it didn’t reflect global calls for a cease-fire. The vote will take place as Blinken, America’s top diplomat, is on his sixth urgent mission to the Middle East since the Israel-Hamas war, discussing a deal for a cease-fire and hostage release, as well as post-war scenarios.
It also demands “the immediate and unconditional release of all hostages “ and emphasizes the urgent need to protect civilians and deliver humanitarian aid throughout the Gaza Strip. The international community’s authority on determining the severity of hunger crises warned this week that “famine is imminent” in northern Gaza, where 70 percent of people are experiencing catastrophic hunger. The report from the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification initiative, or IPC, warned that escalation of the war could push half of Gaza’s total population to the brink of starvation.
“There are two options: Either the US text is adopted and then we’ll move to the next phase of this crisis management,” he said, “or the text is not adopted and then the draft of the elected members will come to the table and put to the vote, and I hope it will be adopted.”
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