GAZA, (The Palestine Information Centre)The Hamas Movement has held the countries that opposed a Russian-led UN resolution calling for a humanitarian ceasefire “responsible for Israel’s ongoing massacres and crimes in the Gaza Strip.”
In a statement on Tuesday, Hamas deplored the countries that voted on Monday against the draft resolution that was tabled by Russia at the UN Security Council.
The Movement affirmed that the voting against this resolution would give the Israeli occupation state the green light to commit more crimes and escalate its genocidal war on Gaza, in clear violation of the international law.
The UN Security Council on Monday night failed to adopt a resolution proposed by Russia that called for a humanitarian ceasefire in Gaza, which has been ravaged by almost 10 days of fighting between Israel and the Palestinian resistance.
The Russian-led draft resolution received five votes in favor (China, Gabon, Mozambique, Russia, and the United Arab Emirates) and four against (France, Japan, UK, and US), with six abstentions (Albania, Brazil, Ecuador, Ghana, Malta, and Switzerland).
For the Council to adopt a resolution, the proposal must receive at least nine votes in favor, with none of its five permanent members opposing or casting a veto.
The draft text had called for a humanitarian ceasefire, release of all hostages, aid access, and safe evacuation of civilians.
Vassily Nebenzia, permanent representative of Russia to the UN, expressed regret over the Security Council’s failure to adopt the resolution, blaming the “selfish intention of the western bloc.”
He said that the Western countries’ delegations “basically stomped” on global hopes for the Council to put an end to violence.
Ambassador Nebenzia noted that the vote revealed countries in support of ending the violence and providing humanitarian aid, and those blocking a unified message “for purely selfish and political interests.”
“We are extremely concerned by the unprecedented humanitarian catastrophe in Gaza and the very high risk of the conflict spreading,” he said.
