The UN General Assembly voted overwhelmingly on Tuesday to demand a humanitarian ceasefire in Gaza in a strong demonstration of global support for ending the Israel-Hamas war. The vote—which comes days after the United States vetoed a resolution in the Security Council to the same effect—also shows the growing isolation of the U.S. and Israel.
For the second time since the Israel-Hamas war broke out in October, the veto in the Security Council— the highest body of the UN—pushed the vote to the UN General Assembly, which is of lower rank.
The vote was 153 in favor, 10 against and 23 abstentions. The United States and Israel were joined in opposing the resolution by eight countries—Austria, the Czech Republic, Guatemala, Liberia, Micronesia, Nauru, Papua New Guinea, and Paraguay.
The support for a ceasefire resolution was higher than for an October 27 resolution that called for a “humanitarian truce” leading to a cessation of hostilities, where the vote was 120-14 with 45 abstentions.
The resolution expresses “grave concern over the catastrophic humanitarian situation in the Gaza Strip and the suffering of the Palestinian civilian population,” and it says Palestinians and Israelis must be protected in accordance with international humanitarian law.
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