NEW YORK – The United Nations General Assembly has passed a resolution calling for an immediate, unconditional, and lasting ceasefire in Gaza along with unfettered access to humanitarian aid.
The resolution comes after the United States vetoed a similar draft in the UN Security Council last week.
Out of the 193-member General Assembly, 149 countries—including Pakistan—voted in favor of the resolution. Nineteen countries abstained from voting, while the United States, Israel, and 10 other nations voted against it.
The resolution strongly condemned the use of starvation as a method of warfare and deemed any unlawful obstruction of humanitarian aid or deprivation of civilians from life-saving necessities unacceptable.
It also called for the immediate release of hostages held by Hamas, the return of Palestinian prisoners held in Israeli jails, and a full withdrawal of Israeli forces from Gaza.
Speaking at the General Assembly, Israel’s UN Ambassador Danny Danon denounced the resolution as a “bloody libel” and urged member states not to support what he described as a political spectacle.
According to Danon, failing to tie the release of hostages to a ceasefire sends a dangerous message to terrorist organizations worldwide that abducting civilians is an effective tactic.
It is important to note that while General Assembly resolutions are not legally binding, they do reflect the collective sentiment of the international community.
This is not the first time the General Assembly has called for a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas; previous appeals have also been disregarded.
Ahead of the vote, Libya’s UN Ambassador Taher El-Sonni warned that countries voting against the resolution would have “blood on their hands.”
The United States vetoed the similar Security Council resolution last week, arguing it could derail ongoing US-led ceasefire negotiations.
Pakistan, maintaining its principled position, voted in favor of the resolution. According to the Foreign Office, Pakistan reaffirmed its unwavering support for the Palestinian people on the General Assembly platform.
A Foreign Office spokesperson stated that the resolution was not merely a declaration of intent but an acknowledgment of the international community’s collective legal and moral responsibilities.
“Pakistan will continue to stand with the Palestinian people in their struggle for dignity, self-determination, and justice—until their inalienable rights are recognized and a sovereign, independent, and united Palestinian state with Al-Quds Al-Sharif as its capital is established, based on pre-1967 borders,” the spokesperson said.
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