The United Nations General Assembly is nearing a request for an immediate ceasefire for humanitarian reasons in the two-month-long conflict between Israel and the Palestinian Islamic resistance movement (Hamas), following the United States' veto against a similar move in the Security Council. No country holds veto power in the General Assembly, which consists of 193 members, and is set to vote on a draft similar to the resolution that the United States opposed in the 15-member Security Council last week. General Assembly resolutions are not binding, but they carry political weight and reflect global views on the war in Gaza, where health authorities in the Hamas-run Palestinian territory say the death toll from the Israeli attack has exceeded 18,000.
The General Assembly's vote comes a day after 12 Security Council envoys visited the Egyptian side of the Rafah border crossing, the only place where limited humanitarian aid and fuel supplies enter Gaza. The United States did not send a representative to the visit. Richard Gowan, director at the International Crisis Group at the UN, said, "With every step, the United States seems increasingly isolated from the mainstream opinion at the UN."
The United States and Israel oppose a ceasefire, believing it would only benefit Hamas. Instead, Washington supports a truce to protect civilians and allow for the release of hostages held by Palestinian militants following the October 7 attack on Israel, which resulted in the deaths of 1,200 people and the detention of 240 hostages, according to Israel.
In October, the General Assembly called for an "immediate, lasting, and sustainable humanitarian ceasefire leading to the cessation of hostilities" in a resolution adopted by a majority of 121 votes, with 14 against, including the United States, and 44 abstentions. Some diplomats and observers expect today's vote to receive greater support. Gowan stated, "The situation is different now. The length and intensity of the Israeli operations in Gaza have convinced many UN members that a ceasefire is necessary."
Israel has bombed Gaza from the air, imposed a blockade, and launched a ground assault in response to the Hamas attack. The General Assembly draft resolution set for a vote today also calls for the immediate and unconditional release of all hostages and for the warring parties to comply with international law, particularly regarding the protection of civilians. Most of Gaza's 2.3 million residents have been forced to leave their homes, and the UN has issued stark warnings about the humanitarian situation in the coastal enclave, stating that hundreds of thousands of people are starving.
