The UN Security Council on Monday passed a resolution demanding an immediate ceasefire for the month of Ramadan, the immediate and unconditional release of hostages and "the urgent need to expand the flow" of aid into Gaza, UN News reported.

There were 14 votes in favour with the United States abstaining.

HIGHLIGHTS

* The UN Security Council adopts a resolution tabled by its 10 non-permanent members (E-10) demanding a ceasefire in Gaza during Ramadan, by a vote of 14 in favor to none against, with one abstention (United States)

* Resolution 2728 also calls for the immediate release of hostages and for ensuring humanitarian access to Gaza

* The Council rejected a Russia-proposed amendment that would have called for a permanent ceasefire

* The US ambassador said her delegation “fully supports” the critical objectives of the draft

* Algeria’s ambassador says the ceasefire will end “the bloodbath”

* “This must be a turning point,” says the ambassador for the observer State of Palestine

* The draft’s lack of condemnation of Hamas is “a disgrace”, says Israel’s ambassador

This is a first step: Yemen

The representative of Yemen Abdullah Ali Fadhel Al-Saadi, on behalf of the Arab Group, said they valued the votes of the 14 States supporting the resolution. 

He said the resolution must be considered as a first step leading to a binding resolution on a permanent ceasefire. 

The Arab Group also reaffirms that the efforts to reach an agreement on a ceasefire do not go against the call for freeing all hostages.

He said the group sought immediate compliance with the resolution and categorically rejects the double standard that is prolonging this conflict as Israeli occupation forces continue with their genocidal war, targeting women and children and even adopting a policy of starvation.

He called on the Council to impose strict sanctions on Israeli settlers who are inciting violence against Palestinians, including in Jerusalem.

The group will continue efforts towards an immediate ceasefire, the delivery of humanitarian aid, an end to the forced displacement of Gazans and greater international protection for Palestinians.

Israel must be held accountable for its crimes, he said, and it is also time that the international community accept the State of Palestine as a full member of the United Nations. 

Gaza’s ordeal must end now: Palestine

Riyad Mansour, Permanent Observer for the observer State of Palestine, said it had taken six months, with more than 100,000 Palestinians killed and maimed, to finally demand an immediate ceasefire.

The Palestinians in Gaza have shouted, cried, cursed and prayed, defying the odds time and time again. Now, they live with famine, with many buried under the rubble of their own houses.

“Their ordeal must come to an end, and it must come to an immediate end now,” he told ambassadors.

He said the rule of international law was being destroyed by Israel’s crimes. Instead of implementing a mandatory order from the International Court of Justice (ICJ), Israel has doubled down on its actions.

He said Palestinians had been killed if they stayed or left, and now, Israel threatens an invasion of Rafah.

Israel has also continued its incitement against the UN, attacking the UN chief and the UN relief agency, UNRWA. The UN must be defended, he said.

“This outrageous incitement has real-life consequences for UN and humanitarian staff on the ground who are targets of attacks, who are killed, arrested and tortured,”, he warned. 

It also has real-life consequences for the blocking of UNRWA aid. “It is time for all these Israeli actions to trigger a serious international action,” he said.

He welcomed the adoption of the resolution and saluted Arab unity in demanding the ceasefire.

“This must be a turning point; this must lead to saving lives on the ground. This must signal the end of this assault of atrocities against our people,” he said, declaring that his entire nation was “being murdered”.

Russia: Council must work towards permanent ceasefire

Mr. Nebenzia, Russian Ambassador and Permanent Representative, said that his country voted in favour of the resolution as it called for an immediate ceasefire, “even if it is limited to the month of Ramadan”.

“Unfortunately, what happens after that ends remains unclear since the word ‘lasting’ could be interpreted in various ways,” he said.

“Those who are providing cover for Israel still want to give it a free hand,” he added, expressing hope that the wording contained in the resolution “will be used in the interests of peace rather than advancing the inhumane Israeli operation against the Palestinians”.

The word “permanent” would be more precise, the ambassador said, voicing his delegation’s “disappointment” that Russia's proposal "did not make it through".

“Nevertheless, we believe it is fundamentally important to vote in favour of peace,” he said, urging the Security Council to continue to work on achieving a permanent ceasefire.

Life and death vote: Guyana

Carolyn Rodrigues-Birkett, Ambassador and Permanent Representative of Guyana, said that after more than five months of a “war of utter terror and destruction”, a ceasefire is the difference between life and death for hundreds of thousands of Palestinians and others.

“This demand [by the Council] comes at a significant time as Palestinians are observing the holy month of Ramadan,” she said, noting continuing deaths in the enclave and a growing number of families left homeless.

Voicing concern over the looming starvation in Gaza, the ambassador also highlighted the disproportionate impact of the war on women and children.

“At the same time, the anguish of the families of the hostages held in Gaza continues to mount with no clear prospect for the return of their loved ones,” she said, adding that “Palestinians experience the same anguish, waiting for their relatives who are illegally detained in Israel to come home.”

Too late for some: China

Zhang Jun, Ambassador and Permanent Representative of China to the UN, thanked the E-10 Council members for their efforts on the draft.

Noting that his country’s negative vote on the US-led draft resolution last Friday, he stated that a comparison of the two drafts showed the differences.

“The current draft is unequivocal and correct in its direction, demanding an immediate ceasefire, while the previous one was evasive and ambiguous,” he said, adding that the present resolution also reflected the general expectations of the international community and enjoyed the collective support of Arab nations.

He said China had forced the US to realise it could not continue obstructing the Council.

“For the lives that have already perished, the Council resolution today comes too late,” he said, but 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 said. 

After 'deafening silence', Council must focus on solutions: France

French Ambassador and Permanent Representative Nicholas de Rivière  welcomed the adoption of the resolution, stressing that “it was high time” that the Security Council act. 

“The adoption of this resolution demonstrates that the Security Council can still act when all of its members make the necessary effort to discharge their mandate,” he said.

“The Security Council’s silence on Gaza was becoming deafening, it is high time now for the Council to finally contribute to finding a solution to this crisis,” he continued, noting that it is not yet over and that the 15-member body will have to remain mobilised and immediately get to work.

“It will have to, following Ramadan, which finishes in two weeks, [the Council] will have to establish a permanent ceasefire,” the ambassador added, stressing also the importance of the two-State solution.

Resolution must be implemented: UN chief

Reacting immediately after the vote, Secretary-General António Guterres said on X that the long-awaited resolution must be implemented.

The Council’s failure to do so “would be unforgivable”, he stated.

Algeria says draft will end the ‘bloodbath’ in Gaza

Algeria’s Ambassador Amar Benjama said the draft will put an end to the massacres that have been going on for five months in Gaza.

“The bloodbath has gone far too long,” he said. “Finally, the Security Council is responding to the calls of the international community and the Secretary-General.”

The draft conveys a clear message to the Palestinian people, he said, "the international community, in its entirety, did not abandon you.”

“Adopting today’s resolution is only the beginning to meet the aspirations of the Palestinian people…and to put an end to the bloodbath without any conditions.”