Drawing unusual applause in the often staid Security Council chamber, all 14 other members voted in favor of the resolution which “demands an immediate ceasefire” for the rest of the ongoing Islamic holy month.
The resolution called for the cessation of hostilities to lead to a “lasting sustainable ceasefire” and demanded that Hamas and other militants free hostages seized on October 7.
Russia, at the last minute, objected to the removal of the word “permanent” ceasefire and called a vote, which failed to gain passage.
The text acknowledged the ongoing diplomatic efforts by Egypt, Qatar and the US to bring about an end to hostilities, the release of all hostages and an increase in the distribution of humanitarian aid.
The successful resolution was drafted in part by Algeria, the Arab bloc's current member on the Security Council, with a diverse array of countries including Slovenia and Switzerland.
Also on Monday, the White House said the US abstention did not signal a change in Washington’s policy toward the conflict.
It did not represent a “shift in our policy,” National Security Council spokesman John Kirby told journalists.
He said the US backed a ceasefire but abstained because the resolution text did not condemn Hamas and its attack on October 7.
Saudi Arabia has welcomed the issuance on Monday of a UN Security Council resolution calling for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza during the holy month of Ramadan, the Saudi Press Agency reported.
The Kingdom has also expressed hope that a cessation of hostilities will lead to a permanent and sustainable ceasefire; the release of all hostages held by Hamas; and the parties’ compliance with their obligations under international law, as well as an increase in the flow of humanitarian aid to civilians in the Gaza Strip to enhance their protection, the SPA added.
The Kingdom has renewed its calls on the international community to assume its responsibility to stop the Israeli occupation’s attacks on civilians in the Gaza Strip, and to emphasize the necessity of ending the suffering, to provide hope to the Palestinian people, a statement said.
It also called for Palestinians to obtain their rights to live in safety and self-determination through a reliable and irreversible path to establishing a state within the 1967 borders, with its capital in East Jerusalem, in accordance with the Arab Peace Initiative and relevant international resolutions.
