Latest update: 12-05-2025
Time: 10:40 am
After the Security Council failed to pass a resolution calling for an “immediate, unconditional, and permanent” ceasefire in Gaza—due to a U.S. veto—the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) decided to revisit the issue. Unlike the Security Council, the General Assembly has no veto mechanism, and its decision reflects the collective will of all 193 member states.
1. Participation and Likely Outcome
In previous UNGA votes, support has steadily increased: 120 countries in October 2023, 153 in December 2023, and 158 in December 2024. With no significant opposition anticipated this time, the resolution is almost certain to pass.
2. Key Provisions of the Proposed Resolution
• Full Military Withdrawal: Calls on Israel to withdraw all air and ground forces from the Gaza Strip.
• Unhindered Humanitarian Access: Seeks assurances that food, medical supplies, and reconstruction materials can enter Gaza around the clock without obstruction.
• Prisoner Exchanges: Urges both Hamas and Israel to initiate a process for exchanging detained Palestinian and Israeli individuals.
• Condemnation of Human Rights Violations: Denounces any violence against civilians or obstruction of food and water supplies.
3. Israel’s Response
Israel’s Permanent Representative, Danny Danon, criticized the draft resolution as “incomplete” and “indefinite,” arguing that it fails to condemn Hamas’s actions. He warned that it would complicate political efforts to reduce violence by turning the process into a political spectacle.
4. Future Impact and Prospects
• Diplomatic Pressure: Although non-binding, the General Assembly’s vote will increase international pressure on Israel.
• Humanitarian Relief: If implemented, the resolution could significantly expand the flow of aid into Gaza; failure to do so risks prolonging the humanitarian crisis.
• Political Tensions: The vote is likely to deepen divisions between Western and majority-Muslim countries.
• Two-State Solution: The resolution may help pave the way for a high-level conference aimed at reviving the “two-state solution.”