The United Nations General Assembly has overwhelmingly called for an immediate ceasefire in the Gaza Strip and voiced strong support for the UN agency serving Palestinian refugees (UNRWA).
On Wednesday, the 193-member assembly passed a resolution demanding an immediate, unconditional, and permanent ceasefire in Gaza, which was adopted with 158 votes in favour, nine against, and 13 abstentions.
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A second resolution supporting UNRWA and condemning a new Israeli law aimed at banning the agency’s operations in Israel also passed, with 159 votes in favour, nine against, and 11 abstentions.
This resolution urged Israel to respect UNRWA’s mandate and called on its government to uphold international obligations, safeguard the agency’s privileges and immunities, and ensure unrestricted humanitarian assistance throughout Gaza.
The votes followed two days of passionate speeches, during which delegates repeatedly demanded an end to Israel’s 14-month war in Gaza. The conflict has resulted in the deaths of at least 44,805 people—most of them Palestinian women and children—and left 106,257 injured.
“Gaza doesn’t exist any more,” Slovenia’s UN Ambassador Samuel Zbogar told the General Assembly meeting. “It is destroyed. Civilians are facing hunger, despair and death,” he said.
“There is no reason for this war to continue. We need a ceasefire now. We need to bring hostages home now,” he added.
Algeria’s deputy UN ambassador Nacim Gaouaoui addressed the world’s inability to stop the war in Gaza: “The price of silence and failure in the face of the Palestinian tragedy is a very heavy price, and it will be heavier tomorrow.”
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