The United Nations Security Council passed a resolution on Monday calling for an immediate ceasefire in the Gaza Strip, but it remains to be seen whether it will have a concrete impact on the war or just a ceasefire. political statement.
The measure, Resolution 2728, followed three previous attempts blocked by the United States. The bill passed by a 14-vote margin because the United States abstained from voting and did not veto it.
The resolution also calls for the unconditional release of all hostages and the removal of barriers to humanitarian assistance.
The Israeli government condemned the vote, but early signs indicate that the U.N. action has changed little on the ground and has not facilitated diplomatic progress.
A few days after the vote, here's what's changed and what's next.
Did the solution affect the fight?
Israeli officials say they intend to ignore calls for a ceasefire, insisting it is essential to wage the war until the military wing of Hamas, the militant group that led the October 7 attack on Israel, is disbanded. Ta.
There have been no apparent changes in military operations since Monday. The Israeli Air Force continues to attack Gaza, and Hamas continues to launch attacks.
Israeli forces are currently attacking Al Shifa Hospital in northern Gaza, the largest medical facility in the Gaza Strip, as well as Khan Yunis, the largest city in the south, where fighting is intensifying.
What can the UN do if Israel does not comply with the resolution?
The Security Council has few means of enforcing resolutions. The Council may take punitive measures to impose sanctions on violators. In the past, such measures have included travel bans, economic restrictions, and arms embargoes.
But in this case, legal experts said any additional measures would require a new resolution, which would require the consent of five veto-wielding members, including the United States, Israel's staunchest ally. He said it would be.
Legal issues may also arise. Although the United Nations says Security Council resolutions are considered international law, legal experts have questioned whether all resolutions are binding on member states or whether they are based on Chapter VII of the UN Charter, which deals with threats to peace. It is being debated whether this is only a resolution that has been adopted. The resolution passed Monday did not explicitly mention Chapter 7.
U.N. officials said the plan remained binding on Israel, but some countries disagreed. South Korea said on Monday that the resolution was not “expressly mandatory under Chapter VII” but reflected the consensus of the international community.
Importantly, U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Linda Thomas-Greenfield insisted that the resolution was not binding. Experts say the United States, which has great power on the Security Council as a permanent member, likely views resolutions as a more valuable political tool than binding orders. .
Former U.S. Ambassador to NATO Ivo H. Daalder said the U.S. abstention sends a strong signal of policy priorities, even if the Security Council is unlikely to take further action in the short term. It is said that it will happen.
“Neither Israel nor Hamas will be swayed by UN resolutions,” Daalder said.
What about aid?
Israel controls the flow of aid to Gaza, and after five months of war, Gazans are facing a severe famine crisis, near starvation, especially in the north, according to the United Nations and residents in the region. That's what it means.
Aid groups have accused Israel of announcing a territorial siege since October 7, and say authorities are obstructing the delivery of aid through inspections and strict restrictions.
Israel claims it is working to block aid from reaching Hamas, saying its authorities can process more aid than aid groups can distribute within its territory. Growing lawlessness in Gaza has also complicated the distribution of aid, with some convoys ending in deadly violence.
Not much has changed this week. The number of aid trucks entering Gaza through the two border crossings open for aid on Tuesday was roughly in line with the average number of vehicles crossing each day this month, according to U.N. data. This number is approximately 150 trucks per day, a decrease of nearly 70% compared to the number before October 7.
What impact did this resolution have on foreign policy?
Israel and Hamas remain divided in negotiations aimed at brokering a cessation of fighting and a hostage exchange of Palestinian prisoners.
Arbitrators are coming to Qatar to narrow the gap. But late on Monday, Hamas rejected Israel's latest counter-proposal, and Hamas political leaders who visited Tehran this week said the resolution showed Israel was diplomatically isolated.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu claimed the resolution set back negotiations and emboldened Hamas to persist in seeking better terms.
U.S. and Israeli officials say the biggest sticking point in ceasefire talks has recently been over the number of Palestinian prisoners to be released, particularly those serving long sentences for violence against Israelis.