Attempts to establish a ceasefire in Gaza have stalled in the past. An American-led proposal that voiced an “imperative” for an “immediate and sustained ceasefire to protect civilians on all sides” was vetoed by the council on Friday. The US resolution included demands for the release of all hostages still held by Hamas. Since the start of the war on October 7, participating council members have been chastised for failure to uphold peace.
After Algeria, China, and Russia voted against the US-led resolution, the Security Council chose to pursue a separate proposal.
Ten non-permanent council members drafted a proposal also calling for an immediate ceasefire in the Gaza Strip. During the council’s discussion, Ambassadors from Palestine and Yemen voiced their support of the new resolution. “This resolution reaffirms that the Israeli occupation forces do not have free rein in perpetrating daily massacres against children and women,” said Yemen Ambassador Abdullah Ali Fadhel Al-Saadi.
All participating members of the council voted to pass the new resolution aside from the US who abstained their vote. Resolutions passed by the Security Council are considered legally binding under international law. However, it is not always clear how they will be enforced or regulated.
Israeli Ambassador Gilad Erdan criticized the resolution for failure to condemn the Hamas attack on October 7. “The Security Council was justifiably quick to condemn Friday’s terror attack in Russia,” said Erdan. He continued, “Yet still to this day, the council refuses to condemn the most widespread and barbaric massacre suffered by the Jewish people since the Holocaust.”
Following the vote, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu canceled plans to send delegates to meet with US officials in DC. Netanyahu says America’s failure to vote against the resolution goes against its previous actions and will damage war efforts against Hamas.
Ceasefire Talks, Rising Death Toll
In February, officials from Qatar, the US, Egypt, and Israel arrived in Paris to deliberate on plans for a ceasefire. Israel has stated its willingness to entertain a ceasefire agreement if Hamas releases all hostages. The Paris truce included a 40-day ceasefire, an exchange of hostages, and permission for aid trucks to enter Gaza.
It’s unclear whether these discussions have amounted to any results but efforts to deliver relief to Gaza remain.
At the beginning of March, Israel and Hamas scheduled a meeting in Egypt to discuss ceasefire possibilities. However, Israeli delegates never arrived. Hamas officials left Cairo effectively ending the attempt to establish truce negotiations.
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Reported deaths in the Gaza Strip have surpassed 30,000. Children represent over 13,000 lives lost since the conflict began in October 2023. Widespread famine taking place across the region has prompted several nations to coordinate efforts to drop humanitarian aid. As of March 15, only 83% of groundwater wells in Gaza are currently functional. Overcrowding in Gaza’s remaining 12 hospitals has strained medical care efforts for those facing malnutrition and injuries sustained during the conflict.
Aid Delivery
During his State of the Union address, President Biden ordered the US military to construct a temporary pier off Gaza’s Mediterranean coast. The aim is to increase the amount of aid delivered to the residents living in the besieged strip.
On March 15, a ship carrying 200 tons of aid supplies reached the Gaza coast. The Spanish nonprofit organization Open Arms organized this aid effort. Open Arms echoes sentiments shared by the UN that the best way to get aid to those who need it most is by truck. Israel announced on Sunday that it would block aid trucks attempting to reach the North of Gaza.
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