WASHINGTON — The United Nations Security Council on Monday adopted a US-drafted resolution urging both Israel and Hamas to fully implement the cease-fire proposal that President Joe Biden announced more than a week ago.
The resolution said that Israel has “accepted” the deal and “calls upon” Hamas to do the same. The Palestinian militant group has said it views the proposal outlined by Biden “positively” but has not submitted its formal response. The text also “urges both parties to fully implement its terms without delay and without condition.”
If implemented, the three-phase proposal could see the return of the more than 100 remaining hostages, the full withdrawal of Israeli troops from Gaza and a major reconstruction of the coastal enclave.
Transitioning from stage one’s temporary cease-fire to stage two’s permanent “cessation of hostilities” would require the two sides to overcome a seemingly intractable sticking point. Hamas wants a permanent end to the war as part of any hostage deal, whereas Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has insisted there will be no cease-fire until the militant group’s military and governing capabilities are destroyed.
The vote came after Israel’s military on Saturday rescued four hostages in central Gaza in a dramatic rescue mission that killed more than 200 Palestinians, according to local officials. The Israeli military said fewer than 100 people died in the operation.
The US-led resolution, which emphasized “the importance of the ongoing diplomatic efforts by Egypt, Qatar and the United States,” passed the same day Secretary of State Antony Blinken arrived in the Middle East for his eighth visit to the region since Oct. 7.
Earlier in the war, the United States used its veto power to block several other cease-fires resolutions. It abstained from a vote in March, allowing the passage of a cease-fire resolution supported by the rest of the 15-member council.
The United States also used its veto in April to block a Palestinian bid for full membership at the United Nations. The UN General Assembly then voted overwhelmingly to grant Palestine additional privileges and called on the Security Council to reconsider its request for full membership.