The Security Council is expected to vote on the US-drafted ceasefire resolution on Friday and talks are expected to continue in Qatar.
The United Nations Security Council is expected to vote on Friday on a U.S.-drafted resolution calling for a ceasefire in Gaza, while the European Union called for a “humanitarian pause,” increasing pressure on Israel to put an end to it. end to their five-month conflict. -Long bombing of Palestinian territory.
Washington, Israel's staunchest ally, has gradually hardened its tone following its initial strong support for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his war in Gaza.
The latest draft resolution marks a further hardening of Washington's approach amid growing global condemnation of a war in which some 32,000 Palestinians have died.
UN experts have also warned of impending famine as a result of Israel's blockade.
The draft US text describes an “immediate and sustained ceasefire” as an imperative to protect civilians and allow the delivery of humanitarian aid. A ceasefire would also be conditional on the release of some of the remaining captives captured by Hamas in its attack on Israel on October 7.
The United States had previously avoided referring to a ceasefire and vetoed U.N. resolutions calling for one, most recently in February.
Announcing Friday's vote, U.S. Ambassador to the U.N. Linda Thomas Greenfield said U.S. diplomats had been working on a resolution that would “unequivocally support ongoing diplomatic efforts aimed at securing an immediate ceasefire in Gaza.” as part of an agreement that would allow the release of hostages.” and allow an increase in humanitarian aid.”
There was some discomfort over the language used in the US draft, and a second resolution was also drafted with stronger language demanding an immediate ceasefire. It has the support of eight of the 10 non-permanent members of the 15-member body.
The diplomatic moves at the UN came as EU leaders meeting in Brussels called for an “immediate humanitarian pause leading to a sustainable ceasefire” in Gaza.
They also called for “the unconditional release of all hostages” and urged Israel not to continue with its plan for a major ground offensive in the southernmost city of Rafah, where more than a million Palestinians have sought refuge from the war.
The EU said such an attack would “worsen the already catastrophic humanitarian situation and prevent the urgent provision of basic services and humanitarian assistance.”
The calls for a ceasefire came as truce talks brokered by the United States, Qatar and Egypt were set to continue in Doha. A statement from Netanyahu's office said Israel's spy chief David Barnea would travel to Qatar on Friday to meet with mediators.
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken, making his sixth trip to the region since the conflict began, said he believed there could be a deal between Israel and Hamas, which controls Gaza and killed more than 1,000 people in its attack on October against Israel.
Negotiations in Qatar have focused on a truce of about six weeks that would allow the release of 40 Israeli captives in exchange for hundreds of Palestinians detained in Israeli jails.
“The negotiators continue working. The differences are narrowing and we continue to push for an agreement in Doha. There is still some difficult work to get there. But I still believe it is possible,” Blinken said.
The main obstacle has been that Hamas says it will release the captives only as part of a deal that would end the war, while Israel says it will discuss only a temporary pause.
