Two days after the 75th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, an overwhelming majority of the UN Member States adopted a resolution in today’s General Assembly Emergency Special Session, calling for an immediate humanitarian ceasefire, release of all hostages and humanitarian aid in Gaza. The draft resolution did not condemn or make any specific reference to Israel or its acclaimed adversary in the war, the Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas). The resolution focused rather on the protection of civilian populations.
The resolution passed with a large majority of 153 in favor, 10 against, and 23 abstentions. It also reiterated the General Assembly’s demand that all parties comply with their obligations under international law, including international humanitarian law, “notably with regard to the protection of civilians.” Two amendments by Austria and the United States, exclusively condemning Hamas, failed during the debate before the vote.
The States voting against were the US, Israel, Austria, Czechia, Guatemala, Liberia, Micronesia, Nauru, Papua New Guinea and Paraguay.
Those abstaining were the UK, Germany, Hungary, Italy, Argentina, Malawi, the Netherlands, Ukraine, South Sudan, and Uruguay.
Egypt introduced the draft, which has been sponsored by Algeria, Bahrain, Comoros, Djibouti, Egypt, Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Libya, Mauritania, Morocco, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Somalia, Sudan, Tunisia, United Arab Emirates, Yemen, and State of Palestine.
General Assembly President Amb. Dennis Francis (Trinidad and Tobago) opened the session by emphasizing the urgency of ending the suffering of innocent civilians in Gaza, saying “We have one singular priority – only one – to save lives.” Mr. Francis opened his statement, saying there was now “an onslaught on civilians, the breakdown of humanitarian systems and profound disrespect for international law and international humanitarian law” being shown by combatants. Almost 70 per cent of the dead are women and children, he noted, adding that the world was witnessing an “unprecedented collapse” of a humanitarian system “in real time” and insisted that the UN must bring an immediate end to the suffering of civilians.
In advance of the vote, Israel’s Permanent Representative said that the General Assembly finds itself “about to vote on another hypocritical resolution.” Despite the substance of the Hamas charter, the Israeli representative insisted that Movement’s only intention is to destroy Israel and that the group has declared that it will repeat its atrocities again and again until Israel ceases to exist. He asked the Assembly: “So why would anyone want to aid Hamas in continuing their rule of terror and actualizing their satanic agenda?”, adding “We all know that the so call humanitarian ceasefire in this resolution has nothing to do with humanity.” Contrary to evidence, he claimed “Israel is already taking every measure to facilitate the entry of humanitarian aid into Gaza.”
Ambassador Munir Akram of Pakistan expressed “deep regret, that some friends of Israel have introduced amendments to once again condemn only one side but exonerate the other.” He observed: “This is a war against the Palestinian people.” “Israel`s goal is to erase not only a people, but the entire idea of Palestine. It’s campaign is a carbon copy of the massive campaigns of racial slaughter by other settler colonial regimes in history,” he added.
US Ambassador Ms. Thomas-Greenfield agreed with some aspects of the resolution, namely that “the humanitarian situation is dire, that it requires urgent and sustained attention…that civilians must be protected, consistent with international humanitarian law.” As her country continued to arm and diplomatically shield Israel during its persecution and genocide of the Palestinian people, Ms. Thomas-Greenfield said her country is working toward a “sustainable peace.” She declared that US diplomacy had enabled the recent, week-long humanitarian pause and that the US engagement with Egypt and Qatar had made hostage swap possible.
During the debate, Egypt’s Ambassador Osama Mahmoud Abdelkhalek Mahmoud said the resolution was "very simple, clear and explicit", and long overdue. He pointed out that “It only includes four operational paragraphs …however, the implementation of these paragraphs are yet to happen, even though the tragic humanitarian situation is unbearable for the Palestinians.” He noted Israel’s destruction of the health and humanitarian support system in Gaza, and recalled the letter by the UNRWA Commissioner-General, reporting the dire situation in the entire Gaza Strip.
Egypt’s ambassador urged: “The adoption and implementation of [this resolution] which is specifically calling for a ceasefire is the only guarantee for saving innocent civilians,” the Ambassador said, referring to a “despicable” case of “double standards” being applied against Palestinians. He added that current war crimes against Palestinians needed to be addressed, concluding that genocide was being used as a tool of war in Palestine and, leaving it unchecked would damage the credibility of the whole UN.
The General Assembly Emergency Session followed in response to the failure of the Security Council to adopt a similar and legally binding resolution, due to the veto by the United States, sitting as a Permanent Member of the 15-State Council. Of the whole body, 13 Council members voted in favor, and the United Kingdom abstained.
Unlike the Security Council’s enforceable resolutions, General Assembly (GA) resolutions are not legally binding on nations, but carry tremendous moral and political weight by representing the UN membership’s collective determination on matters of grave global importance.
The session and resolution of today are a continuation of the GA’s 10th Emergency Special Session, which last convened on 26 October amid the current war on Gaza. It adopted a resolution, calling for an “immediate, durable and sustained humanitarian truce leading to a cessation of hostilities.”
Some 79 speakers were scheduled to address the Assembly at the time of the vote, requiring the General Assembly to resume the emergency session on Friday afternoon in New York.
Text of resolution A/ES-10/L.27 in all UN languages
Video of the Emergency Special Session of the General Assembly
Consult UN explainer on how the Emergency Session functions
Photo on front page: UN General Assembly adopts resolution A/ES-10/L.27, “Protection of civilians and upholding legal and humanitarian obligations,” during the 45th plenary meeting of the resumed 10th Emergency Special Session, 12 December 2023. Source: Loey Felipe/UN Photo. Photo on this page: Close-up of the A/ES-10/L.27 on-screen voting record.
| Themes |
| • Indigenous peoples • International • Norms and standards • People under occupation • Public policies • UN system |
