World reacts to UNSC resolution demanding Gaza ceasefire

Many officials around the world have welcomed the resolution.

Many world leaders have welcomed a United Nations Security Council (UNSC) resolution that demands an immediate ceasefire between Israel and the Palestinian group Hamas in Gaza.

While the United States abstained from the vote on Monday, the remaining 14 council members voted for the resolution.

The resolution, which the US said it did not agree with in its entirety, calls for an “immediate ceasefire” for the duration of the Muslim holy month of Ramadan, which ends in two weeks. It calls for the ceasefire to lead to a “lasting” truce, for the release of all hostages held by Hamas in Gaza, and for respect for international law from each party when it comes to detainments.

Here are some reactions from key officials around the world:

The ministry said that adopting the resolution is a step in the right direction to end the five-month war, to allow the entry of aid, and to begin the return of those displaced.

The ministry also called on UNSC member states to fulfill their legal responsibilities to implement the resolution immediately. The ministry stressed the importance of achieving a permanent ceasefire that extends beyond Ramadan – along with securing the entry of aid, working to release prisoners, and preventing forced displacement.

Saidam said the resolution “is a step in the right direction leading towards the end of the ongoing massacre in Palestine”.

“The consensus we witnessed today should pave the way for the full recognition of the much-delayed rights of the Palestinians and independence of the State of Palestine,” Saidam told media.

“The question is ‘How strong is the international community to oblige Israel to implement this resolution?’” he said.

The group also stressed the necessity of reaching a permanent ceasefire that leads to the withdrawal of all Israeli forces from the Gaza Strip, and affirmed its readiness to engage in an immediate exchange process that leads to the release of prisoners on both sides.

Erdan said the resolution failed to demand a ceasefire without “conditioning” it on the release of captives in Gaza, saying it “undermines the efforts to secure their release”.

“It is harmful to these efforts because it gives Hamas terrorists hope to get a ceasefire without releasing the hostages. All members of the council … should have voted against this shameless resolution,” he said.

Shortly after the resolution passed, Netanyahu cancelled the visit of an Israeli delegation to Washington, DC, which the US had requested to discuss concerns over a proposed Israeli invasion of Rafah, a city in crowded southern Gaza.

Palestinian Ministry of Foreign Affairs

The US abstention was “a clear retreat from the consistent position of the US”, and would hurt Israel’s war efforts and bid to release the hostages still held by Hamas, the prime minister’s office said.

White House spokesperson John Kirby said that US officials were “very disappointed about Netanyahu’s decision not to send his advisers for talks at the White House about the Rafah operation”.

The UN official said the resolution “must be implemented”, adding that failure to do so would be “unforgivable”.

“After repeated vetos of the council’s actions, the United States finally decided to stop obstructing the council’s demands for an immediate ceasefire. Despite all this, the US still tried to find all kinds of excuses and made accusations against China,” said China’s ambassador to the UN, Zhang Jun.

“For the lives that have already perished, the council resolution today comes too late, but for the millions of people in Gaza who remain mired in an unprecedented humanitarian catastrophe, this resolution, if fully and effectively implemented, could still bring long-awaited hope,” he added.

Nebenzya said Moscow hopes the resolution will be used in the “interests of peace” rather than advancing the “inhumane Israeli operation against Palestinians”.

He said Russia preferred a version of the text that demanded that a Ramadan ceasefire would lead to “a permanent sustainable ceasefire”.

“We are disappointed that it did not make it through. Nevertheless, we believe it is fundamentally important to vote in favour of peace. The council must continue to work on achieving a permanent ceasefire,” he said.

De Riviere said the adoption of the resolution shows that the UNSC can “still act when all of its members make the necessary effort to discharge their mandate”.

“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,” he told the session.

He also said that work needs to be done to establish a permanent ceasefire and to revive the political process to bring about the two-state solution.