UNGA overwhelmingly calls for 'humanitarian truce' in Gaza
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The non-binding resolution receives 120 votes in favor, 14 against, and 45 abstentions from UN members.
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Smoke and fire rise from a levelled building as people gather amid the destruction in the aftermath of an Israeli strike on Gaza City on October 26. (AFP)
The United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) unanimously called for a quick humanitarian truce between "Israel" and the Palestinian Resistance, as well as aid access to the besieged Gaza Strip and civilian safety.
Drafter by Arab nations, the resolution is not legally binding, but it has political weight as "Israel" ramps up ground operations in Gaza.
Thursday's resolution was approved with 120 votes in favor, 45 abstentions, and 14 votes against, including "Israel" and the United States. The General Assembly voted after the Security Council failed to act four times in the previous two weeks.
After a Canadian-led amendment to the resolution to add a condemnation of Hamas over Operation Al-Aqsa Flood failed to pass, the UNGA broke out into applause. The amendment fell short of the two-thirds majority required, with 88 votes in favor, 55 against, and 23 abstentions. All arab nations voted against it.
Jordan's Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi stated earlier that voting against the General Assembly resolution "means approving this senseless war, this senseless killing."
Safadi posted on X that "Millions will be watching every vote. History will judge."
Israel just launched a ground war on Gaza. Outcome will be a humanitarian catastrophe of epic proportions for years to come. Voting against Arab #UNGA resolution means approving this senseless war, this senseless killing.
— Ayman Safadi (@AymanHsafadi) October 27, 2023
Millions will be watching every vote. History will judge.
The assembly called on the "importance of preventing further destabilization and escalation of violence in the region" warning "all parties to exercise maximum restraint and upon all those with influence on them to work toward this objective."
It also called on the Israeli occupation to backtrack its order for civilians in Gaza to move south on October 12, emphasizing that it "firmly rejects any attempts at the forced transfer of the Palestinian civilian population."
The UNGA also called for "the immediate and unconditional release" of all civilian captives.
During the early hours of Friday, massive regions in the Strip suffered from complete internet outage, while its largest communications service provider announced that it had shut down all operations across Gaza after Israeli warplanes destroyed the company's remaining infrastructure.
