In a forceful display of global sentiment, the UN General Assembly overwhelmingly passed a resolution on Thursday demanding an immediate, unconditional, and lasting ceasefire in Gaza, amid mounting frustration over the Security Council’s failure to act due to a U.S. veto.
The resolution, introduced by more than 20 countries, garnered support from 149 member states, with 19 abstentions—including India—and 12 votes against, notably from the United States, Israel, Argentina, Hungary, and Paraguay.
Though non-binding, the resolution carries significant diplomatic and moral weight. It strongly condemns the use of starvation as a weapon of war, calls for the complete lifting of Israel’s blockade on humanitarian aid, and demands the protection of civilians under international law.
Opening the emergency session, General Assembly President Philémon Yang decried the ongoing violence in Gaza—now in its 20th month—as “unacceptable,” citing the severe lack of food, water, and medicine for civilians, and the continued detention of hostages. He criticized the Security Council’s paralysis and failure to maintain international peace and security.
Palestinian representative Riyad Mansour urged global support for the measure, calling the situation a genocide and imploring member states to act decisively.
Next week, a high-level meeting on implementing a two-State solution—co-hosted by France and Saudi Arabia—is set to take place in New York. Yang described the summit as a critical opportunity to revive peace efforts and reaffirm international commitment to resolving the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
