Gaza seemed unreachable for months, and just three days ago what appeared impossible became reality on Monday, a beam of hope opened for Gaza, though Israel quickly dimmed it. The United Nations Security Council approved a resolution demanding an immediate ceasefire for Ramadan, the first time the council, often paralyzed by bloc politics, calls for a halt to hostilities in the current conflict which began after Hamas attacks on October 7, to which Israel responded with a forceful military campaign that has unleashed a severe humanitarian and civilian crisis.
The resolution had been prepared by Algeria and presented with the backing of the other nine non-permanent members: Ecuador, Guyana, Japan, Malta, Mozambique, South Korea, Sierra Leone, Slovenia, and Switzerland. It passed with 14 votes in favor and none against. The United States, which on Friday watched Russia and China veto a resolution of its own that was questioned for its ambiguous language and didn’t directly demand a ceasefire but declared it an imperative, did not use its veto power and abstained.
The text calls for the temporary ceasefire to be observed by all parties and to lead to a sustainable, lasting halt to hostilities. It also demands the immediate and unconditional release of all hostages and emphasizes the urgent need to expand humanitarian aid flows, strengthen civilian protection, and reiterates the demand to remove obstacles to aid delivery.
After approval, the chamber broke into applause. Yet signals soon arrived that cast doubt on the resolution’s effectiveness.
“The ceasefire must be implemented. It cannot be ignored”, said the spokesperson who is the U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, emphasizing that the resolution was not adopted under Chapter VII, the only measures that authorize the use of force to ensure compliance.
That was not the message from the United Nations. Shortly after the vote, Secretary-General Antonio Guterres issued a post on social media stating that the resolution must be implemented, and that failing to do so would be unforgivable.
The Security Council has just approved a long-awaited resolution on Gaza, demanding an immediate ceasefire, and the immediate and unconditional release of all hostages. This resolution must be implemented. Failure would be unforgivable. This is the exact wording from the Secretary-General in his post upon the vote.
In anger, Israel expressed discontent with the United States’ abstention and suspended a delegation’s trip to Washington that was scheduled to report on the planned operation in Rafah. The leadership in Jerusalem signaled that the abstention had altered strategic decisions and would have consequences for future discussions with Washington.
The debate on the language of the text shifted from the notion of a sustainable ceasefire to a more durable one. The initial language spoke of a sustainable and permanent halt, but Washington pushed for a change at the last moment, resulting in a final wording that reads durable rather than permanent.
Russia had proposed restoring the original language before the vote, but that move failed with only three votes in favor, 11 abstentions, and the United States voting against the proposal. Even without achieving its objective, Moscow endorsed the resolution.
In the opening moment, members observed a minute of silence for the victims of the Friday attack in Moscow, and the vote was initially scheduled for Saturday but was delayed as negotiations continued on its drafting. By Sunday, a consensus text had emerged, though a last-minute change was requested by Washington that was eventually included. The shift from permanent to durable reflects the last-minute dynamics within the council as members weighed the need for a strong, clear message against the risk of a stalled process.
There remains a broad concern about whether the resolution can translate into on-the-ground improvements for civilians in Gaza, and how it will be monitored and enforced amid ongoing fighting. Observers in capitals and in international organizations stress the importance of timely, scaled actions that accompany political statements with real humanitarian corridors, safe passage for aid, and protections for vulnerable populations. The debate continues as the humanitarian situation evolves and the parties consider the paths to a durable, implementable pause in hostilities.
Citations: United Nations Security Council records, statements by UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, remarks by the United States ambassador to the UN, and subsequent public comments from the Israeli government and other member states.