U.N. Adopts U.S.-Backed Ceasefire Plan in Israel-Hamas War
Do you support a ceasefire?
Updated June 11, 2024
- The U.N. Security Council adopted a ceasefire plan for the Gaza Strip on Monday, signifying the desire to bring the war to an end amongst global leaders. Russia was the only nation that abstained from the vote, which came in at 14-0.
- U.S. ambassador Linda Thomas-Greenfield told Security Council members that Israel had agreed to the deal and Hamas is urged "to do the same." She said:
"Hamas can now see that the international community is united, united behind a deal that will save lives and help Palestinian civilians in Gaza start to rebuild and heal."
- Despite Thomas-Greenfield's claim, Israel has resisted publicly announcing their position. Israel's U.N. representative, Reut Shapir Ben-Naftaly, said that Israel's goals in the war have not changed, and it will continue to use its military operations to free hostages.
- Hamas said it welcomes elements of the ceasefire resolution but does not agree with and will not endorse the whole plan.
Updated Dec. 22, 2023, 3:30 p.m. EST
- After days of negotiations, the U.N. Security Council adopted a resolution calling for increased aid in the Gaza Strip. The council's approved measure asks for "urgent steps" to allow the expansion of aid as the people of Gaza face a worsening humanitarian crisis from Israel's attack.
- The final vote was 13-0, with the U.S. and Russia abstaining. The U.S. did, however, agree not to veto the resolution. The resolution stopped short of calling for a ceasefire, but called for the creation of "conditions for a sustainable cessation of hostilities."
- Ambassador Lana Zaki Nusseibeh of the U.A.E. said:
"We know this is not a perfect text. We know only a cease-fire will end this suffering. Often in diplomacy, the challenge is meeting the moment in the world we live in, not in the world that we want."
Updated Dec. 13, 2023, 9:30 a.m. EST
- The U.N. General Assembly approved a resolution to demand a ceasefire in the war between Israel and Hamas. This latest resolution is non-binding but carries significant weight in international politics.
- The U.S. was one of ten nations to oppose the resolution. U.S. Ambassador to the U.N., Linda Thomas-Greenfield, said the nation acknowledges that the humanitarian situation in Gaza is dire, but that it was Hamas that broke an earlier deal that allowed for a pause in fighting. The U.S. is asking the General Assembly to denounce Hamas and their actions.
Updated Dec. 11, 2023, 10:00 a.m. EST
- As global calls for another halt in the fighting grow, the U.S. vetoed a U.N. resolution backed by almost all other Security Council members demanding an immediate humanitarian ceasefire in Gaza.
- The vote in the 15-member council was 13-1, with the UK abstaining. All other members and dozens of other nations voted for a ceasefire.
- In an effort to press the Biden administration to vote in favor of a ceasefire, foreign ministers of Egypt, Jordan, the Palestinian Authority, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and Turkey all went to Washington on Friday. Their efforts were unsuccessful.
- U.S. Deputy Ambassador Robert Wood called the resolution "imbalanced," criticizing the council for not condemning Hamas' Oct. 7 attack. He claimed halting Israel's attack on Gaza would allow Hamas to continue to rule the Strip.
- Jordan's foreign minister, Ayman Safadi, reacted to the U.S.'s veto, saying:
"Today's failure to support the call for a humanitarian cease-fire is an endorsement of further killing of Palestinians, further violations of international law, further commitment of war crimes. Israel is basically doing whatever it wants, in defiance even of its allies, creating a horrific situation in Gaza, and then wants us to come in and clean the mess. We will not do that."
Updated Nov. 13, 2023, 3:00 p.m. EST
- On Saturday, over 300,000 protesters marched in London, calling for a ceasefire. Event organizers put the number of attendees at 800,000. It was the country’s largest protest since the Israel-Hamas war began. The protest lasted over seven hours and featured speeches and a moment of silence for the children killed in Israeli airstrikes.
- Thousands of protesters filled Sydney’s Hyde Park on Sunday, calling for a ceasefire. This is the fifth weekend in a row that Pro-Palestinian protests have convened. Pro-Israel groups held a separate event in the city demanding the release of the hostages.
Updated Nov. 6, 2023, 4:40 p.m. EST
- Tens of thousands of protestors in Washington, D.C., called on Biden to support a ceasefire during a march on Saturday. Protestors chanted:
“Biden, Biden, you can’t hide; we charge you with genocide.”
- The march drew supporters from cities across the country, with many bus routes to the capital sold out in advance of the event.
- Nihad Awad, National Director at the Council on American–Islamic Relations, said:
“The language that President Biden and his party understands is the language of votes in the 2023 elections, and our message is: no ceasefire, no votes.”
- U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken urged Israel to protect civilian life in Gaza, but said a ceasefire would enable Hamas to regroup and gain an advantage. Blinken has, however, been pushing for a humanitarian pause to the fighting.
- The heads of U.N. humanitarian agencies have issued a joint statement calling for an immediate ceasefire. The U.N. also confirmed that it had lost 88 aid workers, the highest number ever recorded in a single conflict.
Updated Nov. 2, 2023, 12:00 p.m. EST
- U.S. President Joe Biden called for a "pause" in the Israel-Gaza war.
- During a campaign speech in Minneapolis, a demonstrator heckled Biden, urging him to call for a ceasefire. Biden replied:
"I think we need a pause."
- Biden said a pause would "give time to get the prisoners out." White House officials later explained he meant both getting hostages held by Hamas out, and getting humanitarian aid into Gaza.
- After the heckler was escorted out, Biden said the war was a "complicated" matter and recognized the emotion around it. He said:
"This is incredibly complicated for the Israelis. It's incredibly complicated for the Muslim world as well... I supported a two-state solution; I have from the very beginning."
What's the story?
- As the Israel-Gaza war enters its third week, global concern about escalating violence has led many observers, lawmakers, and politicians to call for a ceasefire.
Calls for a ceasefire
- Thirteen progressive Democratic lawmakers, including Reps. Rashida Tlaib (Mich.), Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (N.Y.) and Cori Bush (Mo.), have brought a resolution calling for an immediate ceasefire, urging Biden to facilitate a rapid de-escalation of hostilities. Rep. Tlaib said:
“We all know collective punishment of millions of Palestinians is a war crime. The answer to war crimes can never be answered with more war crimes.”
- Most Democrats have sided with the Biden Administration in their support of Israel. A leaked State Department memo warned diplomats against using phrases like “ceasefire,” “end to violence/bloodshed,” and “de-escalation” because they defy current U.S. policy in Israel.
- Rep. Bush said:
“We’ve been clear on the need for de-escalation and a ceasefire since the attacks. Leadership and the White House know exactly where we stand: there is no military solution to this conflict.”
- U.N. chief António Guterres has called for a ceasefire to relieve the “epic human suffering” in the Gaza Strip. A ceasefire would provide enough time to release the hostages held in the strip and to allow aid to enter the enclave, according to Guterres. Volker Turk, the U.N. high commissioner for human rights, has also called for an “immediate humanitarian ceasefire.”
- Save the Children has called for an immediate ceasefire to “prevent a humanitarian catastrophe.”
- The EU Parliament called for a ceasefire in a resolution dated Oct. 19. However, the resolution is merely symbolic as the EU Parliament has no formal role in establishing foreign policy for the bloc.
Global protests
- Protests in favor of a ceasefire have erupted worldwide. Over 100,000 people turned up to a London protest, and thousands attended protests in Berlin, Marseille, and Rome over the weekend. Smaller protests in Sarajevo and Geneva drew hundreds of protesters.
- On Wednesday, thousands of Jewish-American peace activists marched in Washington, D.C,. calling for an immediate ceasefire. Hundreds of protesters staged a sit-in on Capitol Hill. The action was organized by Jewish Voice for Peace and IfNotNow, and several protesters wore shirts emblazoned with the quote, "Not in our name."
- IfNotNow's political director Eva Borgwardt said:
“As Jewish people whose ancestors went through the Holocaust, when we hear Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Yoav Gallant use words like ‘the children of darkness’ and ‘human animals’ to describe Palestinians, we feel the resonances of that in our bones.
As Jewish Americans, we are here through our grief to tell Biden and Congress that our grief is not their weapon and our pain is not their excuse to enable a government that has clearly genocidal intent, and they must call for a ceasefire now."
White House response
- The White House has argued that an immediate ceasefire would help Hamas. Biden said:
"We should have those hostages released and then we can talk."
- State Department spokesman Matthew Miller said:
"Any ceasefire would give Hamas the ability to rest, to refit, and to get ready to continue launching terrorist attacks against Israel. You can understand perfectly clearly why that’s an intolerable situation for Israel, as it would be an intolerable situation for any country that has suffered such a brutal terrorist attack."
- National security spokesperson John Kirby said Israel still had “work to do to go after Hamas leadership” and hostage negotiations before a ceasefire could be considered.
Do you support a ceasefire?
-Emma Kansiz
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This is an extremely complex situation. HAMAS is using the Palestinian populace as shields because they really have little interest in protecting the populace - their stated goal is to eliminate Israel, and they are willing to let their populace be sacrificed to that cause.
That said, the current hard right Israeli government is making the situation much worse with their indiscriminate bombing of covilian populations who happen to be in their way.
The real issue is that right wing asssholes are in charge of both sides of this conflict and that Gaza Palistineans are caught in the cross-fire.
Israel should commit to a bonified two state solution so that Palestinians have hope for a better future and have a reason to reject HAMAS rule. Without this step, Israel will continue to breed future HAMAS-like terrorists who feel justified in terrestrial revenge.
Humanitarian pauses at least are necessary so that Palestinians can get out of the way. Also, access to needed foodstuffs, potable water, and other much needed aid must be increased.
The Arab nations can contribute to a bonified two state solution by agreeing to be part of the solution - by endorsing the Saudi - Israeli peaceful normalization accords and by committing to provide a peace keeping force to govern Gaza until a Palistinean governance can be established and Palistinean - Israeli agreements can be developed.
I think that is the best way to get Iranian influence out of the HAMAS -Israeli conflict and truly establish a free Palestinian government. This will be hard and require commitments from all parties involved as well as persistent diplomacy.
The people of Israel, Palestine and Iran will have to take the long view and realized the damage that their asshole right wing leaders are doing to their populations.
Just how many dead Palestians (5,791) Children (2,360) is enough for the 1,400 dead Israelis before there is a ceasefire and resolution through negotiation?
More bombs have been dropped on Gaza, one of the most densely populated urban areas the size of Philadelphia in 6 days than the U.S. dropped at the height of bombing Afghanistan, which is the size of Texas, in one month.
"The Hamas-run Health Ministry said at least 5,791 Palestinians have been killed and 16,297 wounded."
"The secretary general of the United Nations said on Tuesday that the attacks by Hamas that left 1,400 people dead in Israel on Oct. 7 were “appalling” but it did not justify the “collective punishment” of civilians in the Gaza Strip, where Israeli military significantly stepped up its bombardment in recent days."
"Nearly 600,000 people in Gaza were sheltering in 150 facilities run by the U.N. agency that aids Palestinians, known as UNRWA, according to a statement from the agency dated Monday. “Shelters are operating beyond their capacities,” leaving new arrivals to sleep in the streets"
https://apnews.com/article/israel-hamas-war-palestinians-live-updates-9a0ddf745bde0ffc46921b99ed34fb65
https://www.nytimes.com/live/2023/10/24/world/israel-hamas-war-gaza-news
Depends upon Hamas and Iran on what type of agreement can be reached for some guarantee of security for Israel. You cannot trust either Hamas or Iran.
A Cease Fire should be give serious consideration, to allow aid to get to Gaza to help civilians trapped there and potentially allow for the release more hostages.
This is not condoning the horrific attack Hamas perpetrated on Israel in any way.
A pause in hostilities will give Israel to give more consideration to the end game of any assault on Gaza and the neutralisation of Hamas. The United States became bogged down in both Iraq and Afghanistan because there was no end game for what happened after removing the Taliban in Afghanistan and Hussein in Iraq. Israel needs to have a plan for what happens to Gaza, its citizens and how they are governed once Hamas has been neutralized. We don't need another endless war in the middle east for the world to deal with.
All the idiots that voted yes aren't after peace, they're anti-Semitic and Anti-Israel.
Yes the killing of others is wrong. But that didn't stop Hamas from doing just that to old, young and women, etc. They just wanted to kill Jewish people.
also remember Islam even kills other Muslims because they don't practice their religion the same as they do.
so just forget that a cease fire will help. Even giving these people Gaza didn't do Israel a dame bit of good. All terriorests must be stopped.
How can a cease fire not be supported with 18K deaths and 50K injuries of Palestian civilians of which 50% are children, and is probably understated as many bodies are still under the ruble of 40% of civilian infrastructure that has been deliberately bombed to shock the civilian population.
In addition an investigation by 972 magazine (independent, online, nonprofit magazine run by a group of Palestinian and Israeli journalists) and Local Call (Hebrew-language news site) of 7 current and former members of Israel’s intelligence and military, has found the current military invasion of Gaza called Operation Iron Sword compared to previous Israeli military operations has expanded bombing targets to include non-military targets (private residences, high rises, infrastructure, etc) so as to create a shock in hopes that civilians will apply pressure on Hamas. Civilian casualties are 15X higher with 300 families losing 10+ members than the last war in Gaza (2014)
Use of AI has doubled the number of bombing targets per day from 50 to 100 which is referred to as a mass assassination factory by Israeli intelligence officers and has allowed the generation of targets at a faster rate than the bombing rate.
Half of the targets bombed — 1,329 out of a total 2,687 — were deemed power targets, non-military targets to shock civilians into pressuring Hamas.
"18,608 people have been killed and 50,594 injured in Israeli strikes on Gaza. Many thousands more are feared lost in the rubble or beyond the reach of ambulances."
“Compared to previous Israeli assaults on Gaza, the current war — which Israel has named “Operation Iron Swords,” and which began in the wake of the Hamas-led assault on southern Israel on October 7 — has seen the army significantly expand its bombing of targets that are not distinctly military in nature. These include private residences as well as public buildings, infrastructure, and high-rise blocks, which sources say the army defines as “power targets” (“matarot otzem”).”
“Over 300 families have lost 10 or more family members in Israeli bombings in the past two months — a number that is 15 times higher than the figure from what was previously Israel’s deadliest war on Gaza, in 2014”
“The bombing of power targets, according to intelligence sources who had first-hand experience with its application in Gaza in the past, is mainly intended to harm Palestinian civil society: to “create a shock” that, among other things, will reverberate powerfully and “lead civilians to put pressure on Hamas,” as one source put it.”
“This number is calculated and known in advance to the army’s intelligence units, who also know shortly before carrying out an attack roughly how many civilians are certain to be killed.”
“another reason for the large number of targets, and the extensive harm to civilian life in Gaza, is the widespread use of a system called “Habsora” (“The Gospel”), which is largely built on artificial intelligence and can “generate” targets almost automatically at a rate that far exceeds what was previously possible. This AI system, as described by a former intelligence officer, essentially facilitates a “mass assassination factory.”
“remember thinking that it was like if [Palestinian militants] would bomb all the private residences of our families when [Israeli soldiers] go back to sleep at home on the weekend,” one source, who was critical of this practice”
““The emphasis is on damage and not on accuracy,” said IDF Spokesperson Daniel Hagari on Oct. 9. The army swiftly translated those declarations into actions.”
“the targets in Gaza that have been struck by Israeli aircraft can be divided roughly into four categories. “
“first is “tactical targets,” which include standard military targets such as armed militant cells, weapon warehouses, rocket launchers, anti-tank missile launchers, launch pits, mortar bombs, military headquarters, observation posts”
“second is “underground targets” — mainly tunnels that Hamas has dug under Gaza’s neighborhoods, including under civilian homes. Aerial strikes on these targets could lead to the collapse of the homes above or near the tunnels.”
“third is “power targets,” which includes high-rises and residential towers in the heart of cities, and public buildings such as universities, banks, and government offices. The idea behind hitting such targets, say three intelligence sources who were involved in planning or conducting strikes on power targets in the past, is that a deliberate attack on Palestinian society will exert “civil pressure” on Hamas.”
“final category consists of “family homes” or “operatives’ homes.” The stated purpose of these attacks is to destroy private residences in order to assassinate a single resident suspected of being a Hamas or Islamic Jihad operative. However, in the current war, Palestinian testimonies assert that some of the families that were killed did not include any operatives from these organizations.”
“the IDF Spokesperson, during the first five days of fighting, half of the targets bombed — 1,329 out of a total 2,687 — were deemed power targets.”
“Various sources who served in IDF intelligence units said that at least until the current war, army protocols allowed for attacking power targets only when the buildings were empty of residents at the time of the strike. However, testimonies and videos from Gaza suggest that since October 7, some of these targets have been attacked without prior notice being given to their occupants, killing entire families as a result.”
“by the time the temporary ceasefire took hold on Nov. 23, Israel had killed 14,800 Palestinians in Gaza; approximately 6,000 of them were children and 4,000 were women, who together constitute more than 67 percent of the total. “
“The Israeli army estimates that it has killed between 1,000 and 3,000 armed Palestinian militants.”
“In May 2021, for example, Israel was heavily criticized for bombing the Al-Jalaa Tower, which housedprominent international media outlets such as Al Jazeera, AP, and AFP. The army claimed that the building was a Hamas military target; sources have told +972 and Local Call that it was in fact a power target.”
“Israel attacked a total of 15,000 targets in Gaza….high figure compared to the four previous major operations in the Strip. During Guardian of the Walls in 2021, Israel attacked 1,500 targets in 11 days. In Protective Edge in 2014, which lasted 51 days, Israel struck between 5,266 and 6,231 targets. During Pillar of Defense in 2012, about 1,500 targets were attacked over eight days. In Cast Lead” in 2008, Israel struck 3,400 targets in 22 days.”
“Habsora [AI] generates, among other things, automatic recommendations for attacking private residences where people suspected of being Hamas or Islamic Jihad operatives live. Israel then carries out large-scale assassination operations through the heavy shelling of these residential homes.”
“Habsora [AI]…processes enormous amounts of data that “tens of thousands of intelligence officers could not process,” and recommends bombing sites in real time. Because most senior Hamas officials head into underground tunnels with the start of any military operation, the sources say, the use of a system like Habsora makes it possible to locate and attack the homes of relatively junior operatives.”
“Habsora [AI] system enables the army to run a “mass assassination factory,” in which the “emphasis is on quantity and not on quality.”
“972 Magazine is an independent, online, nonprofit magazine run by a group of Palestinian and Israeli journalists. Founded in 2010, our mission is to provide in-depth reporting, analysis, and opinions from the ground in Israel-Palestine. The name of the site is derived from the telephone country code that can be used to dial throughout Israel-Palestine.”
https://www.reuters.com/world/middle-east/un-demands-ceasefire-gaza-israel-us-show-increasing-divisions-2023-12-13/
https://www.972mag.com/topic/local-call/
https://www.972mag.com/about/
https://www.972mag.com/mass-assassination-factory-israel-calculated-bombing-gaza/
We have tried for over forty years of peace negotiations. Many of our Presidents tried for a two country resolution. Nothing works. Hamas is a cowardly regime. Hides amounts innocent people. Using city warfare. Now other countries are giving them more tactical weapons to use against Israel. Look through the Old Testament, you eliminate your enemy, if they won't talk peace. The bad problem is a lot of innocent folks get in the way.
Perhaps there should be a cease-fire to give time to evacuate innocent civilians. Hamas certainly not innocent their provocation got this ball rolling in the immediate sense. In the big picture sadly this battle has been going on for over 1000 years. The Middle East has been a flash pot since history has green recorded. I don't know how to get these people to get along with one another but that's what they have to do. We on this planet have bigger fish to fry or we will all be gone.
In the meantime people like Elon musk who are helping spread hate with his wealth need to be stopped. Musk Agreeing with an antisemitic post on his social media platform X, Elon Musk endorsed the claim that Jewish communities push “hatred against Whites.” I do believe that all government contracts with companies tied to Musk should be null and void.
Our government should be doing zero business with hate, on any side. That only fans flame on both sides.
It appears to me that either musk has lost his bearings on reality or his wealth has gone so far to his head that he has lost touch with being a human being.
ceasefire and work towards seperate states.
No cease fire till the hostages are freed. Hamas can't start a war, hide behind a wall of civilian shields, hiding tunnels under hospitals, hide munitions in the hospitals, UN schools and refugee camps and then play the victim.
Hamas doesn't count the combat fatalities as Hamas they claim them as civilians. No one is talking about the rockets and drones coming from Lebanon, Gaza and Iran but the news media is deaf, dumb and blind to that fact.
Tears shed for the dead in Gaza, where are the tears and out rage? Let's talk about the worthless Palestinians for a moment. They cheered and paraded in the streets when the planes hit the trade center and pentagon. You want me to feel sorry for that vermin.
No, continue to arm the IDF to finish off Hamas. No tears here just joy knowing there are fewer terrorist in the world.
God bless the IDF for the superior job they are doing. Im telling my representatives to stand by our ally as they sweep vermin out of their holes.
12 jun 2024
16,000 children killed
17,000 orphaned
these were not hamas
to rescue 4 hostages you slaughtered over 300 palestinians and maimed over 500?
'collateral' damage?
total takeover of all palestinian lands
where are pro life americans
and you used my money to supply arms to these killers?
shame on congress
shame on this admin
my vote WILL count !
I'm glad UN and Antony Blinken is making progress
There should have been an official cease-fire DECADES ago! But now this is going too far, for too long.
We not only need a ceasefire but we need to publicly denounce Israel as an ally and persecute them directly for this.
Needs to stop!
There is no other way, there must be a cease fire and some mutual respect between the two sides.
No. Not till all the hostages are saved!
America needs to mind its own business. This is Israels battle to save their people.
Do whatever needs to be done to protect the safety and well-being of these people to live a good life.
Not only ceasefire but freedom and sovereignty to Palestine.
Israel is more of a powerful nation then when it was established in 1948. A temporary cease fire for humanitarian purposes is recommended as work is done in earnest toward a peaceful solution. Revenge and immediate retaliation was done but now is the time to show a compassionate, Godly nature as demonstrated by Jesus Christ. Extreme violence will provoke more violence.
Aren't Christians under a new covenant?
YES!!!!! Israel is out of control and needs to be reigned in. Their scorched earth policy is WRONG, WRONG, WRONG!!!!!
Carpet bombing high density Gaza with 2000 pouns dumb munitions is GENOCIDE by any measure!
A two state solution is NOT push palestinians into jordan & egypt
The people of Gaza did not start this. one does not set a forest ablaze to take down a section of bad wood.
if the us deman a ceasefire are stop soporting the war and killing insent people
Israel has every right to defend its people from the terrorist animals that is Hamas. Every last one should be killed. Israel has been patient enough. Why isn't Hamas trying totake care of the Palestinians? Why is it Israel's responsibility? The world should be ashamed of themselves and in fear if Israel does not suceed because Hamas will then be emboldened and branch out to attack infediles across the world launching WWIII. We should be supporting Israel's efforts any way we can. So should the useless and spineless UN.
for how long
I would be more willing to support Israel were it not for Netanyahu and their far right expansionist agenda. I view Netanyahu much the same as I view putin. Curiously, the gop seems to like aggressively expansionist dictators.
The fact that we vote against a ceasefire in an obvious genocide truely shows our intent for what it is. Our support for the actions of Israel is shameful. History will not be kind to us. We are not the good guys anymore.