Following nearly a week of delays, the U.N. Security Council came to an agreement Friday, voting to speed up aid deliveries to Gaza after much dispute from some of its members.
Much of the diplomatic contention and delay boiled down to the U.S. wanting a deliberate condemnation of Hamas and the Russian Federation wanting a clearly outlined cease-fire cemented in the agreement.
In the end, 13 of the 15 member states voted on the resolution with the United States and Russia abstaining.
The U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations, Linda Thomas-Greenfield, called today’s resolution tough, but says this vote will work to alleviate the humanitarian crisis, get life-saving assistance into Gaza and “will push for the protection of innocent civilians and humanitarian workers and to work towards a lasting peace.”
Thomas-Greenfield continued saying, “it took many days and many, many long nights of negotiating to get this right. But today, this council provided a glimmer of hope amongst a sea of unimaginable suffering, and let’s be clear, Hamas has no interest in a lasting peace.”
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Russia’s U.N. Ambassador Vassily Nebenzia instead called the resolution “entirely toothless,” saying that the United States’ behavior was “shameful, cynical and irresponsible conduct,” accusing the U.S. of blackmail, gross pressure and arm twisting to avoid another U.S. veto.
An earlier version of the resolution containing an amendment from Russia for an immediate suspension of hostilities was vetoed by the U.S. after four other member states abstained from voting.
Today’s vote was ratified by the council after removing a clause in which a ceasefire was specifically sought after, and was reworked to instead call for a reduction in hostilities and an expansion of safe, unhindered humanitarian access into the region.
This comes as the Gaza Health Ministry reports that the death toll in the Strip has risen to 20-thousand people. And a new report from the World Food Programme shows a famine may be pending in the Strip after it was found that at least one of four households are facing extreme hunger.
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