UN Security Council passes resolution urging humanitarian pauses in Gaza

According to CNN, the UN Security Council has adopted a resolution that calls for a number of humanitarian pauses in Gaza. This is a significant development. In the Wednesday session, twelve states voted in favor of the resolution, with the United States, Russia, and the United Kingdom abstaining from the vote. In line with international humanitarian law, the adopted resolution highlights the necessity of “urgent and extended humanitarian pauses and corridors throughout the Gaza Strip for a sufficient number of days to enable the full, rapid, safe, and unhindered humanitarian access for United Nations humanitarian agencies and their implementing partners,” CNN reported.

Human Rights Watch welcomed the resolution, characterising it as a rare and powerful message to Israel, Hamas, and other armed groups.
Louis Charbonneau, UN director at Human Rights Watch, stated, “The UN Security Council just sent a rare and powerful message to Israel, Hamas and other armed groups that compliance with international humanitarian law is non-negotiable. So far, there has been widespread disregard for civilians by all parties. That the US finally stopped paralyzing the council on Israel and Palestine so this resolution on the plight of children in Gaza could move forward should be a wake-up call to Israeli authorities that global concern, even among its allies, is strong.”