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UN Security Council demands immediate ceasefire in Gaza

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U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Linda Thomas-Greenfield speaks during a UN Security Council meeting at the United Nations headquarters on March 22, 2024 in New York City. (Getty Images-Eduardo Munoz Alvarez / Stringer)
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The United Nations Security Council is now demanding an immediate ceasefire in Gaza, in a new resolution adopted Monday.

The Security Council has tried to pass a similar motion three times before this– each time the United States used its veto. But on Monday, our neighbours south of the border abstained, allowing the resolution to pass.

All remaining 14 members voted in favour. The U.S.’s failure to use its veto against the resolution is sparking tension with their ally, Israel.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is calling it a “clear retreat” from its allyship, and saying it will hurt their efforts to release the 130 hostages still held by Hamas.

Netanyahu also cancelled a delegation set to visit the U.S. to discuss their next military move into the border city Rafah.

READ MORE: Famine in northern Gaza is imminent

But, U.S. officials say their abstention doesn’t change where they stand on the war.

“Our vote does not, I repeat, does not represent a shift in our policy. We’ve been very clear, we’ve been very consistent in our support for a ceasefire as part of a hostage deal. That’s how the hostage deal is structured, and the resolution acknowledges the ongoing talks,” White House National Security Advisor John Kirby said.

“We wanted to get to a place where we could support this resolution, but because the final text does not have key language that we think is essential, such as condemning Hamas, we couldn’t support it, though, because it does fairly reflect our view that a ceasefire and the release of hostages come together, we abstained.”

There has been growing global pressure for Israel and Hamas to reach a ceasefire, as the threat of famine looms in Gaza.

Resolutions from the security council are “binding” or considered international law– though the United States has asserted it’s non-binding, and won’t impact Israel’s ability to go after Hamas.

Either way, if a ceasefire is not reached, it’s not clear what actions, if any, the security council will take.

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