Hamas has agreed to implement the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) resolution that it overwhelmingly adopted on Monday endorsing President Joe Biden’s folded Gaza ceasefire plan. Reports said that Hamas agreed after the Council approved the plan. This is the first resolution endorsing a cease-fire plan aimed at ending this nine-month-long war.
The US-sponsored resolution sought the support of the UNSC over a cease-fire plan that Biden unfolded last week. The resolution calls on Hamas to accept the three-phase plan. It was approved by 14 of the 15 members of this body while Russia abstained from voting. Hamas has agreed to this resolution, a senior Hamas official Sami Abu Zuhri confirmed this to Reuters today.
Israel says this resolution will not engage it in meaningless and endless negotiations. Since October 7 Israel killed at least 37,164 people and wounded 84,832. How Israel will go after this resolution in the future is a question, but Netanyahu still said Israel is committed to destroying Hamas. Hamas said it welcomes the adoption of the resolution and was ready to work with mediators in indirect negotiations with Israel for its implementation. It stressed it would continue its struggle against Israeli occupation and work on setting up a “fully sovereign” Palestinian state, Hamas spokesperson Jihad Taha said only Israel creates hurdles just to continue its aggression against Palestinians.
A senior Israeli diplomat was reported saying that Israel’s position is unwavering: “We will continue until all of the hostages are returned and until Hamas’ military and governing capabilities are fully dismantled.
The U.S. Ambassador to the UN Linda Thomas-Greenfield said Israel has accepted the cease-fire deal, which is supported by countries around the world. The resolution’s adoption, she said sent a clear message to Hamas to accept the deal on the table. The fighting could stop today if Hamas would do the same, she said. The US Deputy Ambassador to UN Robert Wood said in a statement to reporters that the US sees the deal as “the best, most realistic opportunity to bring at least a temporary halt to this war.”
Earlier, Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad leaders also met in Qatar to discuss the proposed cease-fire deal and said that any deal must lead to a permanent cease-fire, a full Israeli withdrawal from Gaza, reconstruction, and “a serious exchange deal” between hostages in Gaza and Palestinians held in Israeli jails.
Biden on May 31 unfolded a ceasefire plan claiming it was proposed by Israel. The proposal said it would begin with an initial six-week cease-fire and the release of hostages in exchange for Palestinian prisoners, the withdrawal of Israeli forces from populated areas in Gaza, and the return of Palestinian civilians to all areas in the territory. Phase one also requires the safe distribution of humanitarian assistance that Biden said would lead to 600 trucks with aid entering Gaza every day. In phase two a permanent end to hostilities, in exchange for the release of all other hostages still in Gaza, and a full withdrawal of Israeli forces from Gaza would take place. Phase three would launch “a major multi-year reconstruction plan for Gaza and the return of the remains of any deceased hostages still in Gaza to their families.
The UNSC approved this plan reiterating the Body’s commitment to achieving the vision of a negotiated two-state solution where two democratic states, Israel and Palestine, live side by side in peace within secure and recognized borders. It also stresses “the importance of unifying the Gaza Strip with the West Bank under the Palestinian Authority. This is something which Netanyahu’s right-wing government is not likely to agree.
Israel completely denied accepting the UN resolution seeking a ceasefire in Gaza and also put aside the orders of the International Court of Justice and rather it continued violence in Gaza continues till today. This resolution of the UNSC looks to remain in shambles till Israel is forced to respect what the world says. So far there is pressure being exerted on Hamas and why the US is not forcing Israel is completely surprising.
Vassily Nebenzia Russia’s ambassador to the UN said Moscow abstained from voting because details of the three-phase plan haven’t been disclosed and “we have a whole host of questions.” “Hamas is said to accept this so-called deal, but still there is no clarity regarding official agreement from the side of Israel,” Nebenzia said.” “Given the many statements from Israel on the extension of the war until Hamas is completely defeated … what specifically has Israel agreed to?” Algeria’s UN Ambassador Amar Bendjama, the Arab representative on the council, said that while the text isn’t perfect, “it offers a glimmer of hope to the Palestinians, as the alternative is continuing killing and suffering of the Palestinians.”
“We voted for this text to give diplomacy a chance to reach an agreement that will end the aggression against the Palestinian people that has lasted far too long,” Bendjama said. Israel’s offensive has also destroyed about 80% of Gaza’s buildings, according to the UN which previously said that it would a decade to remove debris. The Security Council adopted a resolution on March 25 demanding a humanitarian cease-fire in Gaza during the Muslim holy month of Ramadan, but the US gave no response. President Boden again called Hamas to ‘prove’ this plan if it wanted a ceasefire and an end to the fighting. (By Rana Kashif)
