New York (Union)
The UN Security Council intends to vote today, Monday, New York time, on a draft resolution submitted by the UAE, which calls for logistical facilitation to deliver more humanitarian aid to the Gaza Strip, according to diplomatic sources.
The draft resolution calls for the establishment of an international mechanism to monitor humanitarian relief shipments to Gaza via land, sea and air routes without prejudice to any inspection that occurs outside the Strip by countries that provide such shipments, or facilitate the passage of these shipments within their territories.
The UAE, as the only Arab member of the Council, presented the draft resolution, which stipulates the demand that all parties to the conflict comply with their obligations under international law, especially the protection of civilians and civilian facilities, the delivery of humanitarian aid and the protection of humanitarian workers, recalling the duty to respect civilian and humanitarian facilities, including Including hospitals, medical facilities, schools, places of worship, and United Nations facilities, and protecting them.
It calls on the parties to the conflict to “allow, facilitate and enable the immediate, safe and unhindered delivery of humanitarian assistance on a large scale directly to the Palestinian civilian population throughout the Gaza Strip,” which requires “an urgent and sustained cessation of hostilities to allow humanitarian assistance to reach.”
Last Tuesday evening, the United Nations General Assembly voted overwhelmingly on a resolution calling for a ceasefire in Gaza.
This comes as a number of Western countries, including Britain, France and Germany, intensified their demands on Israel for a “sustainable ceasefire” in the conflict in Gaza.
British Foreign Secretary David Cameron and his German counterpart Annalena Baerbock stressed the “urgent need” to achieve a “permanent ceasefire” in Gaza.
The two ministers wrote in a joint article published by the Sunday Times that “a very large number of civilians were killed” in this war, and urged Israel to end its military operation quickly, but also “permanently.”
They continued: “We must do everything we can to pave the way for a permanent ceasefire that leads to lasting peace, and the sooner that comes, the better. The need is urgent.”
In the words of Deputy Prime Minister Oliver Dowden in an interview yesterday with the BBC, the British government called on Israel to exercise restraint.
He added: “What we say as a British government is that Israel must exercise restraint.”
Cameron and Baerbock pointed out in their article that they “do not believe that calling now for a general and immediate ceasefire, in the hope that it will somehow become permanent, is the way forward.”
Israel is facing increasing pressure from its allies regarding its war in Gaza, as the United States criticized what it described as “indiscriminate bombing” that leads to civilian casualties.
Yesterday, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu apparently indicated that new negotiations are underway to recover the hostages held in the Gaza Strip, without giving further details.
For his part, Pope Francis, the Pope of the Catholic Church, said: “I continue to receive very dangerous and painful news from Gaza…unarmed civilians are being bombed and shot, and this happened even inside the Holy Family Parish compound, where there are families, children, the sick, people with special needs, and nuns.”
Pope Francis added that they were killed “by snipers’ bullets,” and he also referred to what was stated in the Patriarchate’s statement that the home of Mother Teresa’s nuns was damaged by tank fire.
He continued: “Someone might say: It is terrorism, it is war. Yes, it is war, it is terrorism.
An Israeli Foreign Ministry spokesman said the incident was still under review and had no immediate comment on the Pope's words.
Palestinians reported that Israel intensified its bombing of Gaza yesterday, killing at least 40 people, after Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said that the only way to guarantee the release of the hostages is intense military pressure.
The Israeli attacks came amid heavy fighting along the coastal enclave, according to residents and militants, with communications cut off for a fourth day, making it difficult to reach the wounded.
The Palestinian Red Crescent said on the X social media platform, “The cut off of communications in Gaza is the longest since the start of the Israeli escalation,” adding that the bombing also hindered the work of its teams.
In Deir al-Balah in central Gaza, medics said that 12 Palestinians were killed and dozens injured, while in Rafah in southern Gaza, they said that an Israeli air strike left at least four dead.
In Khan Yunis in southern Gaza, residents reported that they heard the sounds of Israeli planes and tanks bombing and the sounds of rocket shells apparently fired from the Strip.
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