Dec. 13: The UN General Assembly overwhelmingly adopted a draft resolution Tuesday demanding an immediate humanitarian cease-fire in Gaza, multiple reports said on Wednesday.
The resolution, presented by Egypt with the support of nearly 100 countries, including Türkiye, passed with 153 votes in favor as the 193-member General Assembly gathered for an emergency special session on Palestine. Ten countries, including the US, Israel and Austria, voted against the resolution, while 23 countries including the UK, Germany, Italy and Ukraine abstained from voting.
The resolution also expressed grave concern over the “catastrophic humanitarian situation” in the Gaza Strip and the suffering of Palestinian civilians. It also emphasized that the Palestinian and Israeli civilian populations “must be protected” in accordance with international humanitarian law while demanding all parties to comply with their obligations under international law, including international humanitarian law, notably with regard to the protection of civilians.
Recalling all relevant UN Security Council resolutions, this non-binding resolution also noted the invoking by UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres of Article 99 of the UN Charter for the first time since he assumed the organization’s top post in 2017 for the establishment of a ceasefire.
It also noted a letter by Philippe Lazzarini, the Commissioner-General of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East, to the president of the General Assembly drawing attention to the deteriorating humanitarian situation.
