UN General Assembly adopts Gaza resolution calling for immediate & sustained humanitarian truce

Adolf Goebbels
Published on Oct 29, 2023
The United Nations General Assembly on Friday adopted a resolution calling for an “immediate, durable and sustained humanitarian truce” between Israeli forces and Hamas militants in Gaza. It also demands “continuous, sufficient and unhindered” provision of lifesaving supplies and services for civilians trapped inside the enclave, as news reports suggest Israel has expanded ground operations and intensified it bombing campaign.

General Assembly: Tenth emergency special session (resumed), 41st plenary meeting

Illegal Israeli actions in occupied East Jerusalem and the rest of the Occupied Palestinian Territory (Item 5). Continuation of the debate on the item.

After rejecting an amendment proposed by Canada and the United States, the General Assembly, by 120 votes in favour 120, 14 against and 45 abstentions, today (27 Oct) adopted a resolution calling for an immediate and sustained humanitarian truce.

Speaking in support of the draft resolution, Egypt’s Ambassador Osama Mahmoud Abdel Khalek Mahmoud said, “the truth is clear and wouldn't need any repetition or explanation or elaboration if we all applied one standard rather than double standards.”

He said, “no to targeting civilians, no to terrorism, no to violating international humanitarian law, no to bombarding hospitals and medical centres, no to killing children, no to the siege, and no to cutting off all basic necessities of life, no to forcible displacement and liquidating the rights of people, no to genocide. All people are equal.”

For her part, United States Ambassador Linda Thomas-Greenfield said, “it is outrageous that this resolution fails to name the perpetrators of the October 7th terrorist attacks: Hamas. Hamas. It is outrageous. Another key word missing in this resolution is: Hostage.”

Thomas-Greenfield said, “these are omissions of evil. And they give cover to, and they empower, Hamas' brutality.”

The United States and Canada proposed an amendment to the draft to include those considerations.

The US Ambassador said, “there is no going back to the status quo as it stood on October 6th. We must not go back to the status quo where Hamas terrorizes Israel and uses Palestinian civilians as human shields. And we must not go back to the status quo where extremist settlers can attack and terrorize Palestinians in the West Bank. The status quo is untenable, and it is unacceptable.”

Speaking before the vote, Canadian Ambassador Bob Rae said, “any life lost is a tragedy. There is no hierarchy of death. Yet the critical reason for how we got here has already been forgotten by so many as if it never happened. But just two weeks ago, Hamas terrorists killed over 1,400 Israelis, not even mentioned in the comments by my friend from Jordan with their own hands and weapons and read sheer terror on the people of Israel.”

Pakistan’s Ambassador Munir Akram said, “the enormity of the crimes that are being committed by Israel against the Palestinian people are so great and enormous, that it is amazing that when my friend from Canada insists on naming the organization Hamas, that he does not feel the need for the equity and balance and fairness - for which Canada is so well known - he does not feel the need to name Israel for killing 7,000 Palestinians.”

The rejected amendment received 88 votes in favour 88, 55 against 55 and 23 abstentions.

Although the General Assembly resolutions are an important expression of world opinion, the Assembly cannot force a Member State to follow its recommendations on a particular issue.

Learn more about the Tenth Emergency Special Session: https://www.un.org/en/ga/sessions/emergency10th.shtml