The United Nations Security Council has endorsed a resolution advocating for an immediate halt to hostilities in Gaza throughout Ramadan, marking a pivotal shift after a prolonged deadlock of five months, various media sources revealed Monday.

This decision marked a significant turn in diplomatic efforts to halt the ongoing conflict, ending a five-month deadlock during which the U.S. vetoed several attempts to initiate peace, notwithstanding the escalating humanitarian crisis.

“The Security Council just approved a long-awaited resolution on Gaza, demanding an immediate ceasefire, and the immediate and unconditional release of all hostages. This resolution must be implemented. Failure would be unforgivable,” U.N. Secretary-General António Guterres said.

The resolution also marked a grim reminder of the conflict’s toll: the Oct. 7 Hamas attacks resulted in approximately 1,200 casualties and 250 hostages, while Israeli military actions have claimed over 30,000 lives in Gaza, predominantly civilians.

A Breakthrough Amidst Diplomatic Stalemates

The resolution garnered a near-unanimous vote, with 14 out of 15 members in favor, the U.S. abstaining rather than exercising its veto power.

This abstention, diverging from previous vetoes, allowed the resolution to be adopted, a moment met with applause and relief within the U.N. chamber.

As reported by the New York Times, amendments to the resolution’s wording, notably the replacement of “permanent cease-fire” with “lasting cease-fire,” underscore a strategic pivot aimed at facilitating conditions conducive to an enduring peace.

The initiation of conflict in October had seen mounting pressures on the U.N. Security Council to advocate for peace. Criticisms were particularly directed at the U.S. for not championing global peace and stability, despite the council’s inability to enforce resolutions directly, which remain pivotal as international law.

Reactions From Top Diplomats

Linda Thomas-Greenfield, the U.S. ambassador, aligned the resolution with ongoing diplomatic efforts by the U.S., Qatar and Egypt, which aimed at negotiating a cease-fire in return for the release of hostages.

The abstention, according to Thomas-Greenfield, was due to disagreements with certain resolution aspects, notably the omission of condemnation towards Hamas’s Oct. 7 assaults.

Barbara Woodward, the U.K.’s ambassador to the U.N. Security Council, also expressed regret over the resolution’s failure to denounce the Oct. 7 attacks by Hamas, stating that the U.K., “condemns these attacks unequivocally.”

Vasily Nebenzia, the Russian ambassador and permanent representative, stated that Russia supported the resolution because it advocated for an immediate cease-fire, albeit temporarily limited to the month of Ramadan. He expressed concern over the ambiguity of future outcomes, noting that the term “lasting” could be subject to various interpretations.

"For the lives that have already perished, the Council resolution today comes too late", Zhang Jun, ambassador and permanent representative of China to the U.N., said, adding that for those still living in the Strip, the resolution represents "long-awaited hope."

"All harm to civilians must cease immediately" and the offensive must end, he remarked. 

Critiques From Israel: Netanyahu Cancels Top-Level Washington Visits

According to the Times of Israel, Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu canceled the scheduled Washington, D.C., visit of his senior aides, Ron Dermer and Tzachi Hanegbi, following the decision by the U.S. not to exercise its veto power against the U.N. Security Council resolution.

The Prime Minister’s office issued a statement criticizing the U.S.’s action as detrimental to both the war effort and the initiatives to secure the release of hostages. The statement described the U.S.’s stance as a significant departure from its previously consistent position in the U.N. Security Council since the onset of the conflict.

It further argued that this shift might embolden Hamas, suggesting international pressure could lead to a cease-fire agreement that does not include the release of hostages.

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