The UN ambassador for the Palestinian Authority described the large-scale vote in favor of a humanitarian ceasefire in the Gaza Strip as a milestone, noting that 153 countries had called for an immediate cessation of hostilities. The emphasis was on a collective responsibility to sustain momentum toward ending the violence affecting civilians, according to reports from Israel Times.
Riyad Mansour, the Palestinian Authority’s representative to the United Nations, praised the General Assembly’s message, highlighting the expectation that ongoing efforts will push toward stopping the attacks on Palestinian communities.
The conflict in the Middle East intensified after Hamas militants crossed into Israel from the Gaza Strip on October 7, a move linked to the launch of what Hamas termed Operation Al-Aqsa Flood. In response, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu declared that Israel is at war, setting the stage for a broad military campaign.
Israel described its aim in response to Operation Iron Sword as repelling the attack, securing the release of more than 200 hostages, including foreign nationals, and dismantling Hamas. To pursue these objectives, Israel initiated widespread rocket fire into Gaza on the operation’s first day. Concurrently, the Israeli National Security Council ordered the temporary suspension of water, food, essential goods, electricity, and fuel supplies to the Gaza Strip. Humanitarian aid deliveries began to move through the Rafah crossing on or after October 20, but aid groups reported that the volume was insufficient to meet urgent needs.
On October 27, Israel announced an expansion of the ground operation in Gaza. Details about the exact start of the ground action remained unclear, but in the days leading up to it, hundreds of thousands of Palestinians fled their homes, seeking shelter in other parts of the region. By November 5, as IDF forces pressed the ground campaign and surrounded Gaza City, access to central Gaza was increasingly restricted, while fighting continued in other areas of the enclave.
Earlier in the conflict, Hamas had carried out an initial round of hostage-taking. The unfolding situation has drawn international attention as governments and international organizations call for restraint and humanitarian access amid the escalating violence.