CAIRO: The Arab League and the Arab Parliament have welcomed the UN Security Council’s Monday resolution calling for an immediate ceasefire between Israel and Hamas in Gaza and called for its implementation.
The resolution demanded an immediate ceasefire between Israel and Palestinian militants Hamas, as well as the release of hostages.
The US abstained from the vote, angering ally Israel, which had wanted Washington to veto it. The remaining 14 council members voted in favor.
Arab League Secretary-General Ahmed Aboul Gheit said that the decision came after a significant delay, following over “five months of barbaric and brutal Israeli aggression against the people of the Gaza Strip.”
He underscored the need to implement the resolution on the ground, halting military operations and Israeli aggression immediately and entirely.
He likewise stressed the importance of facilitating the entry of humanitarian aid through conventional land routes, thereby mitigating the catastrophic crisis in Gaza and averting the looming threat of famine.
Gamal Rushdi, a spokesperson for Aboul Gheit, said the resolution “signals a notable shift in the international stance on the aggressive warfare in Gaza, including the US stance, which opted not to exercise its veto power.”
He said that the forthcoming phase “necessitates concerted international efforts to translate this resolution into tangible actions aimed at ending bloodshed, holding the occupation accountable, and ensuring justice for its crimes.”
The resolution demanded an immediate ceasefire for the month of Ramadan, the immediate and unconditional release of hostages, and “the urgent need to expand the flow of aid into Gaza.”
The Arab Parliament said that, despite its delay and limited timeframe, the resolution “is a step in the right direction to stop the aggression completely and sustainably.”
It called for intensified international efforts to stop Israel’s aggression and pave the way for continuous aid delivery to prevent a famine in Gaza. It also called for an end to the occupation and the establishment of an independent Palestinian state with Jerusalem as its capital.
