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The UN General Assembly voted overwhelmingly for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza
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Israel responded angrily by rejecting a UN resolution calling for a “humanitarian ceasefire” in Gaza and vowing to continue to defend itself.
Members of the UN General Assembly voted overwhelmingly for an immediate humanitarian ceasefire between Israel and Hamas.
Israel’s ambassador to the United Nations, Gilad Erdan, said the United Nations “no longer has even a hint of legitimacy or relevance.”
The US voted against the resolution but called for a “humanitarian pause” in Israeli military operations in Gaza.
The Israeli military says it is expanding its operations as its attacks increase across the Gaza region.
Spokesman Daniel Hagari said the armed forces had “intensified attacks in Gaza. The Air Force attacks mostly underground targets and terrorist infrastructure, and does so on a very significant scale.”
He reiterated that Gazans should move south.
Israel has been bombing Gaza since the Hamas attacks on October 7, in which 1,400 people were killed in Israel and 229 people were taken hostage by Hamas.
The UN General Assembly voted on Friday (October 27) for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza. There were 120 yes votes, 14 no votes and 45 abstentions.
The resolution, presented by Jordan on behalf of the Group of Arab Countries, also condemns all acts of violence against Palestinian and Israeli civilians, including “indiscriminate and terrorist attacks.”
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Israel says it is expanding its operations as attacks in Gaza increase
Voting does not create legal obligations but carries moral weight due to the universality of UN membership.
Israel’s Ambassador Erdan said it was “a dark day for the UN and for humanity” and vowed that his country would use “all means” in the fight against Hamas.
“Today is a day that will be considered infamous. We have all seen that the United Nations no longer has a shred of legitimacy or relevance,” he said.
He accused voters of preferring to support “the defense of Nazi terrorists” rather than Israel.
U.S. national security spokesman John Kirby said the U.S. would support pauses in fighting to help the Gaza hostages and allow more aid to enter.
“We would support humanitarian pauses to allow things to come in and people to go out, and that includes advocating for fuel volumes to come in and power to be restored,” he said.
The White House has not commented on the Israeli military’s (IDF) announcement that the country is expanding its ground operations in Gaza.
According to the Hamasrun health ministry in Gaza, 7,000 people have died since Israeli bombing began.
There is currently a severe shortage of essential services, thousands of people have fled their homes and the region’s infrastructure has been severely damaged.
International leaders who have called for a ceasefire include French President Emmanuel Macron.
Before Israel said it would expand its attacks on Gaza, he said he had told Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Israeli President Isaac Herzog that the people of Gaza must be protected.
“A humanitarian ceasefire is important today to protect those on the ground hit by bombings,” he said at the end of a twoday meeting of European Union leaders in Brussels.
Macron reiterated that Israel had the right to defend itself, but said that “the total blockade, the indiscriminate bombings and, even more, the prospect of a massive ground operation” posed significant risks to civilians in Gaza.
Jordan warned that the result of a socalled “land war” would be a humanitarian disaster.
Israel this week called for the UN SecretaryGeneral to resign after he made comments about the war in Gaza.
António Guterres said in a speech at the Security Council that he unequivocally condemned Hamas’ deadly attacks in Israel two weeks ago, but that they “did not take place in a vacuum.”
Israel accused Guterres of “justifying terrorism” and called for his immediate dismissal.