The United Nations Security Council approved this Monday for the first time a resolution promoted by Algeria and nine other non-permanent member countries that asks for a “immediate” ceasefire during the month of Ramadan in the Gaza Strip, where more than 32,300 people have died as a result of the Israeli Army’s military offensive on the Palestinian enclave.

“The Security Council just passed a long-awaited resolution on Gaza, demanding an immediate ceasefire and the immediate and unconditional release of all hostages“, indicated the Secretary General of the UN, António Guterres, on the social network X.

The text has been approved with 14 votes in favor, no votes against and one abstention, that of the United States. The Council had previously rejected an amendment from Russia in which it argued for more forcefulness in the language used.

The Algerian ambassador to the UN, Amar Bendjama, welcomed the Council’s finally assuming its responsibility to “maintain international peace and security”. “We have the obligation to end the bloodshed before it’s too late,” he said.

For her part, the representative of the United States to the United Nations, Linda Thomas-Greenfield, has assured that Washington supports the objectives contained in the text. “In fact, they were the basis of the resolution we presented last week,” she recalled.

Likewise, he has asked the member states of the Council to clearly request that Hamas accept the agreement that has been put on the table and has explained that the ceasefire will be launched with the release of the first hostage held by Hamas.

The ceasefire during the month of Ramadan

Specifically, the resolution calls for “a Immediate ceasefire during the month of Ramadan respected by all parties that leads to a permanent and sustainable ceasefire.” Likewise, it demands the return of the hostages held by the Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas).

In addition, it calls for guaranteeing humanitarian access to meet the medical needs of the Gazan population, while also underscoring the urgency of expanding the flow of assistance, strengthening the protection of civilians and removing all obstacles to the delivery of aid to the Palestinian enclave.

The text, which is the first to be approved by the Council calling for a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip, also alludes to the fact that the parties must fulfill “its obligations under International Law in relation to the people they detain”.

This occurs after Russia and China vetoed last Friday a text calling for a ceasefire in Gaza presented by USAwhich has vetoed up to three previous proposals for the cessation of hostilities in the Palestinian enclave.

The United States has abstained in the vote despite the fact that the Government of the Prime Minister of Israel, Benjamin Netanyahustated that if a ceasefire in Gaza was approved in the Security Council would cancel the visit of an Israeli delegation to Washington.