The UN General Assembly has called by a large majority for an “immediate humanitarian ceasefire” in the Gaza Strip. The resolution, which does not mention Hamas, drew sharp criticism from Israel.
The resolution passed by the UN General Assembly to improve the humanitarian situation in the Gaza Strip and for an immediate ceasefire has, as expected, met with mixed reactions from the parties to the conflict.
“We firmly reject the UN General Assembly’s despicable call for a ceasefire,” Israeli Foreign Minister Eli Cohen wrote that night on the X platform, formerly Twitter. “Israel intends to eliminate Hamas.” The adopted text does not mention Hamas in a single word.
This is how the world dealt with the Nazis and the Islamic State (IS) terrorist militia, he continued. After the vote in the UN General Assembly in New York, Israel’s UN Ambassador Gilad Erdan spoke of a “dark day for the UN and for humanity” that would go down in history with shame. Everyone has seen that the United Nations no longer has “an ounce of legitimacy or relevance.”
Germany abstains from voting
The terrorist Islamist organization Hamas, which rules in the Gaza Strip and is responsible for the major attack on Israel on October 7, praised the adoption of the resolution and called on the UN to take measures to implement it.
The UN General Assembly adopted the draft resolution introduced by Jordan on Friday. 120 countries voted in favor, 14 against – 45 abstained, including Germany. The paper thus achieved the necessary two-thirds majority. However, UN General Assembly resolutions are not legally binding; they are seen as having more of a symbolic signaling effect.
Baerbock explains Abstention
Germany has “worked intensively to reach a balanced Middle East resolution,” said Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock (Greens) after the vote, according to a statement from the Foreign Office in Berlin.
Important points such as “a clear condemnation of all acts of terrorism and at least a call for the release of the hostages” are contained in the text. “Because the resolution does not clearly name Hamas terror, does not call for the release of all hostages clearly enough and does not affirm Israel’s right to self-defense, we and many of our European partners decided not to agree to the resolution in the end,” the minister explained Germany abstains from voting.
Focus on humanitarian aid
The focus of the resolution that has now been passed is the humanitarian situation in the Gaza Strip. Among other things, it calls for the “immediate” provision of water, food, fuel and electricity “in sufficient quantities” as well as “unhindered” access for humanitarian aid. It also condemns “all acts of violence against Palestinian and Israeli civilians, including all acts of terrorism and indiscriminate attacks.”
The text also expresses “concern at the recent escalation of violence since the October 7 attack” – but without mentioning Hamas by name.