The UN Security Council accepted for the first time a US-proposed resolution calling on Hamas to agree to a permanent ceasefire in the Gaza Strip and release hostages.
In a vote by the 15-member Security Council, 14 votes were in favor of the resolution put forward by the United States, while Russia abstained.
The decision noted the diplomatic efforts of Egypt, the United States and Qatar, and welcomed the three-phase proposal presented by Biden on May 31.
The decision, which said Israel accepted Biden’s proposal, also called on Hamas to accept and implement it.
The decision therefore proposes a three-phase approach: the first phase will see an immediate ceasefire, the release of women, elderly and wounded, the exchange of Palestinian prisoners, the withdrawal of Israeli forces from populated areas of Gaza, the expansion of humanitarian assistance, the re-establishment of basic services, and the return of Palestinian civilians to their homes in all areas, including northern Gaza, as well as the provision of necessary housing to the international community.
First statement from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs
“We consider the Security Council’s decision No. 2735 on the Gaza ceasefire adopted on June 10 as an important step towards ending the massacres in Gaza. Hamas has been constructive and Turkey has demanded a permanent end to the war and Israel’s withdrawal,” the foreign ministry said in a written statement. “This will continue to contribute to measures to ensure the return of displaced persons to Gaza, the provision of uninterrupted and adequate humanitarian assistance and the reconstruction of Gaza.”
