The United Nations Security Council (UNSC) on Monday adopted a resolution demanding “an immediate ceasefire for the month of Ramadan respected by all parties leading to a lasting sustainable ceasefire” in the Gaza Strip, as well as “the immediate and unconditional release of all hostages”. Resolution 2728 (2024), which also calls for "the urgent need to expand the flow" of aid into Gaza, passed by a vote of 14 in favor to none against, with the United States abstaining.
The month of Ramadan, which began on March 11, lasts until April 10, so the UN Security Council effectively voted for a two-week cease-fire. Monday's resolution, introduced by the ten elected Council members, was supported by Russia and China, as well as the Arab group at the United Nations.
The Security Council has primary responsibility for maintaining international peace and security. It has 15 members, and each member has one vote. According to the Charter of the United Nations, all member states are obliged to comply with the decisions of the Council. All resolutions are binding on all UN members.
The UN body has failed for more than five months to stop Israel's relentless military campaign against Gaza and to uphold the rule of law. Israel's war has been marked by massive violations of international humanitarian law. Yet Resolution 2728 neither names the grave violations of international law committed in Gaza nor the party primarily responsible.
Since October 7, attacks by Israeli security forces have killed more than 32,300 Palestinians and injured more than 74,600 others. 70 percent of the dead are reported to be children and women. Thousands of people - including thousands of children - are reported missing and may still be trapped under the rubble, dead or alive.
The US-based humanitarian organization International Rescue Committee (IRC) said today the adoption of the resolution was “an important step after too many failed votes.”
The United States has vetoed three resolutions calling for a cease-fire in Gaza, most recently on February 20. Russia and China vetoed a US-sponsored resolution in late October and a US-drafted resolution on Friday (March 22).
“A ceasefire is the only way to ensure civilians are protected and is central to enabling the scale up of humanitarian assistance to safely reach those in desperate need,” the IRC stressed in a statement while it continued to call for a sustained ceasefire – “well beyond the month of Ramadan”, which ends in just a few weeks.
The IRC urged Council members, including the United States, to leverage all their influence to achieve an immediate cessation of hostilities and work towards a lasting ceasefire.
“It is paramount that the Council and its members also continue to advocate for the implementation of the calls it has set out in this resolution and those in resolutions 2720 and 2712, ensuring that all parties comply with their obligations under International Humanitarian Law,” the statement said.
This includes “the protection of civilians and civilian objects such as hospitals from attack, and [that all parties] take urgent steps to increase humanitarian access across the entire Gaza strip including through the use of all available routes and border crossings to Gaza.”
UN Security Council Resolutions 2720 - adopted on December 22, 2023 - and 2712 - adopted on November 15, 2023 - demand, inter alia, that all parties comply with their obligations under international law, in particular with regard to the protection of civilians, and call for conditions throughout the Gaza Strip to allow for full, rapid, safe and unimpeded humanitarian access and to allow for urgent rescue and recovery operations.
“Without a ceasefire in place that is respected by all parties, alongside steps by Israel to remove obstacles to the scale up of humanitarian aid, Gaza risks facing further catastrophe […] Time has run out, a ceasefire must be implemented without delay,” the humanitarian organization added.
The international development and humanitarian organization Christian Aid, based in the United Kingdom (UK), on Monday also welcomed the Security Council's call for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza.
“This is certainly to be welcomed, but we sincerely hope that it lasts longer than the two weeks left of Ramadan. It must be permanent,” said Christian Aid’s Head of UK Advocacy and Campaigns, Jennifer Larbie. “And it’s vital now that this must be backed by action.”
Christian Aid once again urged the UK Government to back calls for a ceasefire, insist on compliance with international humanitarian law and stop selling arms to the Israeli government.
“International leaders must work together to create a permanent, lasting peace for the sake of the millions of innocent people trapped in this nightmare,” Larbie said.
Today’s development at the UN comes after the European Council decided on Friday for the first time to call for a “sustainable ceasefire” in Gaza.
The European Council also raised concern over the catastrophic humanitarian situation in Gaza and its disproportionate effect on civilians, particularly children, as well as the imminent risk of famine and called for opening more land routes to Gaza.
Due to the wide-reaching impacts of Israel’s war and its ongoing blocking of aid deliveries, famine is projected to occur anytime between now and May in northern Gaza, according to a report published last week by the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC).
The rest of the Gaza Strip is also at the risk of famine if hostilities do not cease and humanitarian assistance at scale does not reach those most in need. 1.1 million people – half of the population - in Gaza are projected to face catastrophic levels of food insecurity
The European Council also warned against the Israeli incursion into Rafah and underlined the important role of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) in the region. Finally, it emphasized the importance of respecting and implementing a January 2024 order by the International Court of Justice (ICJ) and called for accountability for violations of international law.
In a landmark ruling on January 26, the ICJ affirmed that Palestinians have a right to be protected from acts of genocide and ordered Israel to "take all measures within its power" to prevent acts amounting to genocide.
Among other interim measures, the court ordered Israel to allow much-needed humanitarian aid into the war-ravaged enclave and to provide much-needed basic services to Palestinians there. But the Israeli government is not complying with these orders.
Reacting to the European Council’s decision to call for a sustainable ceasefire in Gaza, the international rights group Amnesty International said on Friday that the European Union and its member states must take concrete measures and tangible steps “to prevent genocide against Palestinians in Gaza”.
The rights group also called for the full restoration of funding to UNRWA and an end to all exports of arms and ammunition to the Israeli government.
„What is happening in Gaza is a man-made humanitarian catastrophe and those responsible for all the crimes under international law must be held accountable,” Amnesty International’s Head of the European Institutions Office, Eve Geddie, said.
“The European Council’s failure in attributing responsibility to Israel for its gross violations of international law is sending a message of impunity and contributing to the catastrophe in Gaza.”
While Palestinians in Gaza are starving to death, Israel continues to obstruct humanitarian aid from entering. UN agencies have been warning of the risk of a famine in the Gaza Strip since December because too few aid trucks are being allowed into the territory past Israeli security checkpoints.
On Monday, Israel announced that it would no longer allow UNRWA food convoys into northern Gaza. UNRWA has called for the restrictions on access to northern Gaza to be lifted.
“It is unconscionable that Israel is blocking UNRWA from delivering food in the north of Gaza where famine is imminent and children are already dying of starvation”, the IRC said.
Meanwhile, intense Israeli bombardment and ground operations continue to be reported across much of the Gaza Strip, particularly near Al Shifa Hospital in Gaza City, in central Khan Younis, and near Al Amal and Nasser hospitals. Military operations have resulted in further civilian casualties and displacement.
Some 1.7 million people - more than 75 percent of the total population of the Gaza Strip - have been displaced as a result of Israeli military attacks or Israeli evacuation orders. Among those uprooted by the war are 1 million children, including some 17,000 unaccompanied or separated boys and girls.
The bombardment, ground operations and siege of the entire population, combined with the restriction of humanitarian access and the blockade of aid deliveries, have resulted in a humanitarian catastrophe, with the risk of famine increasing every day.
Yet Israel's allies - including the United States, the United Kingdom and Germany - continue to provide political and military support for the war against the civilian population, which is characterized by widespread war crimes and other serious violations of international humanitarian law by Israeli forces.
These violations include the use of starvation as a method of warfare, denial of humanitarian aid, collective punishment of civilians, indiscriminate killings of civilians, disproportionate attacks, forced displacement, torture, enforced disappearances and and other atrocities.
Further information
Full text: UN Security Council Resolution S/RES/2728 (2024), The situation in the Middle East, including the Palestinian question, adopted March 25, 2024
http://undocs.org/en/S/RES/2728(2024)
Full text: European Council meeting (21 and 22 March 2024) – Conclusions, released March 22, 2024
https://www.consilium.europa.eu/media/70880/euco-conclusions-2122032024.pdf