Russia, China wrangle with US over UN resolution on Gaza ceasefire plan - Reuters
Kyiv • UNN
Russia and China, which have the right of veto in the UN Security Council, expressed concern on Thursday about a US draft resolution that will support the proposal outlined by US President Joe Biden on a cease-fire between Israel and Hamas.
Russia and China, which have the right of veto in the UN Security Council, expressed concern on Thursday about a US draft resolution that will support the proposal put forward by US President Joe Biden on a cease-fire between Israel and Hamas, writes UNN with reference to Reuters.
Details
To adopt the resolution, you need at least nine votes in favor and no veto from the United States, France, Great Britain, China or Russia.
A week ago, Biden outlined a three-step ceasefire plan in the Gaza Strip, which he called an Israeli initiative.
The United States is reportedly seeking international support for the plan, which Hamas is still studying. On Monday, he sent out a one-page draft resolution to the 15-member UN Security Council, and on Wednesday, a revised version.
The current draft welcomes the ceasefire proposal, describes it as "acceptable" to Israel, "calls on Hamas to accept it as well, and calls on both sides to fully comply with its terms without delay and without conditions.
It lists, as indicated, some details of the proposal – a "complete ceasefire" in the Gaza Strip in the first stage and "by agreement of the parties, a final cessation of hostilities" in the second stage.
"But some council members have raised the question of whether Israel has actually accepted the plan and want the council to comply with the March demand for an immediate ceasefire and the unconditional release of all hostages," the diplomats said.
Russia has reportedly proposed amendments to the US text that include a call for both Hamas and Israel to accept the proposal and a demand for an immediate, unconditional and permanent ceasefire that is respected by all parties.
Moscow also wants the draft to emphasize that the first phase of the ceasefire will remain in force as long as negotiations on the second phase continue, reflecting comments made by Biden last week, the publication points out.
Addition
For several months, negotiators from the United States, Egypt and Qatar have been trying to mediate the ceasefire. Hamas says it wants a final end to the war in the Gaza Strip and Israel's withdrawal from the 2.3 million-strong enclave.
Israel is taking retaliatory measures against Hamas, which runs the Gaza Strip, in connection with the October 7 attack by its militants.
According to Israel, on October 7, more than 1,200 people were killed and more than 250 were taken hostage by Hamas. It is assumed that more than 100 hostages remain in captivity in Gaza.
According to Gaza's health authorities, Israel launched an air, land and sea attack on the blocked Palestinian territory, killing more than 36,000 Palestinians.
