UN member nations voted overwhelmingly Thursday to demand an immediate ceasefire in Gaza, the release of all hostages held by Hamas, and unrestricted access for the delivery of food to 2 million Palestinians. The vote in the 193-member General Assembly was 149-12 with 19 abstentions, the AP reports. It was adopted with a burst of applause. The resolution, drafted by Spain, "strongly condemns any use of starvation of civilians as a method of warfare." Speaking before the vote, Israeli Ambassador Danny Danon vehemently opposed the resolution.
Danon denied that Israel is using starvation as a weapon of war, calling the accusation "blood libel" and insisting that aid is being delivered. Experts and human rights workers say that hunger is widespread in Gaza and that some 2 million Palestinians are at risk of famine if Israel does not fully lift its blockade and halt its military campaign, which it renewed in March after ending a ceasefire with Hamas. The Palestinian ambassador, Riyad Mansour, pleaded with UN members to vote yes. "The actions you take today to stop the killing, displacement and the famine will determine how many more Palestinian children die a horrible death," he said.
Last week, the UN Security Council took up a resolution demanding a ceasefire in Gaza and calling on Israel to lift all restrictions on the delivery of aid. The US vetoed the resolution because it was not linked to the release of the hostages, while the other 14 members of the council voted in favor. There are no vetoes in the General Assembly. But unlike in the Security Council, resolutions in the assembly are not legally binding, though they are seen as a barometer of world opinion.
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