UN assembly votes for Gaza ‘humanitarian truce’, India abstained because Hamas not named
This photo shows a United Nations General Assembly meeting in New York on Oct. 27, 2023. The assembly adopted a resolution calling for a “humanitarian truce” in the Gaza Strip
The U.N. General Assembly adopted a resolution Friday calling for a “humanitarian truce” to deliver essential supplies to the Gaza Strip, devastated by Israeli strikes against the Palestinian militant group Hamas.
A total of 121 of the 193 members backed the nonbinding resolution, with the United States, Israel and 12 others opposing it, and 44 countries including India and Japan abstaining.
The Israeli military signalled the same day that it was closer to launching full-scale ground operations in Gaza to crush Hamas.
The resolution condemned “all acts of violence aimed at Palestinian and Israel civilians, including all acts of terrorism and indiscriminate attacks” and expressed “grave concern” about the catastrophic humanitarian situation in the Gaza Strip.
It mentioned those taken hostage by Hamas after its attacks on Oct. 7 but did not name the group, simply calling for “the immediate and unconditional release of all civilians who are being illegally held captive.” India has abstained because the terror group has not been named .
“Two key words are missing in the resolution before us,” Linda Thomas-Greenfield, U.S. ambassador to the world body, said in her speech at the assembly. “The first is Hamas” and the other is “hostage,” she said.
