UN General Assembly Session Approves Resolution on Immediate Ceasefire in Gaza, Rejected by the United States and Israel

Reshuffle of ceasefire resolution at the UN General Assembly. (Twitter/@UN)

JAKARTA - The United Nations General Assembly succeeded in agreeing on a draft resolution urging an immediate ceasefire in the Gaza Strip, urging respect for international humanitarian law and the release of all hostages.

In a vote carried out at a special session of the UN General Assembly in New York, United States, Tuesday (12/12) afternoon local time, 153 countries supported the resolution, 10 countries said they rejected it and 23 others said they abstained.

UN General Assembly President Dennis Francis in his speech said that currently there are "attacks on civilians, the destruction of the humanitarian system and a deep disrespect for international law and international humanitarian law" shown by the conflicting parties in Gaza.

"Even war has rules and we must not deviate from core principles and values," he said, quoted on the UN website, December 13.

He further said that almost 70 percent of the victims who died were women and children. According to him, the world is witnessing "an unprecedented collapse of the humanitarian system" in "real-time".

"The UN must immediately end the suffering of civilians," he stressed.

BREAKING: UN General Assembly ADOPTS resolution demanding immediate humanitarian ceasefire in Gaza, as well as immediate and unconditional release of all hostages

FOR: 153

AGAINST: 10

ABSTAIN: 23

LIVE COVERAGEhttps://t.co/ZqtRtIawGx pic.twitter.com/rAdk8BEmDL

— UN News (@UN_News_Centre) December 12, 2023

"This is the right time to immediately implement a humanitarian ceasefire," he continued.

"We have one priority, only one, to save lives. Stop this violence now," he said.

Meanwhile, Israel's Ambassador to the UN Gilad Erdan assessed the draft resolution as hypocritical.

"Not only does this resolution fail to condemn Hamas for crimes against humanity, it also does not mention Hamas at all. This will only prolong death and destruction in the region, which is what the ceasefire is all about," said Ambassador Erdan.

He added that Hamas' only intention is to destroy Israel, stating it will repeat its atrocities again and again until Israel ceases to exist.

"So why would anyone want to help Hamas in continuing their terror and realizing their satanic agenda?" he asked.

It is known that the death toll of Palestinians due to the ongoing Israeli offensive in the Gaza Strip has risen to 18,412, the Ministry of Health in the enclave said on Tuesday.

Ministry spokesman Ashraf al-Qudra said another 50,100 people were injured in the Israeli onslaught.

"Around 326,000 cases of infectious diseases were detected by health teams in various holding centers," al-Qudra said at a press conference, reported by Anadolu, December 13.

Meanwhile, the Israeli death toll in Hamas attacks reached 1,200 people, according to official figures.