After highlevel negotiations to win Washington's support, the resolution no longer diminishes Israel's control over all aid deliveries to 2.3 million people in Gaza. Israel is monitoring limited aid deliveries to Gaza through the Rafah border crossing with Egypt and the Israelicontrolled Kerem Shalom crossing.
But the weakening of the language on cessation of hostilities has frustrated several council members including Russia, which has veto power as well as Arab and Organization of Islamic Cooperation states, which some diplomats say see it as an endorsement for Israel, continue to take action against Hamas over the deadly October 7 attack.
The adopted resolution “calls for urgent measures to immediately enable safe, unhindered and expanded humanitarian access and to create the conditions for a sustainable cessation of hostilities.” The original draft called for “an urgent and sustained cessation of hostilities” to ensure access to enable relief supplies.
“By approving it, the council would essentially grant Israeli forces complete freedom of movement to continue the cleansing of the Gaza Strip,” Russia’s U.N. Ambassador Vasily Nebenzia told the council before the vote.
Russia proposed amending the draft to return to the original text, which called for “an urgent and permanent cessation of hostilities.” The amendment was rejected by the United States. It received 10 votes in favour, while four members abstained.
Earlier this month, the 193member UN General Assembly called for a humanitarian ceasefire, with 153 states voting in favor of the measure, which the United States had rejected in the Security Council just days earlier.