US is drafting a bill to support an immediate ceasefire in the war on Gaza

The United States finalized the drafting of a resolution it intends to submit to the United Nations Security Council regarding the Israeli war on Gaza, which will support international efforts to mediate an immediate ceasefire, within the framework of an agreement to release Israeli detainees.

This usually marks the final step before requesting a vote on the text, while the timing of when the United States will request the 15-member Security Council to vote on the negotiated text over the past month was not immediately clear.

The final draft, as reported by Reuters, “clearly supports international diplomatic efforts to implement an immediate and sustainable ceasefire, within the framework of an agreement to release hostages and allow for the enhancement of permanent peace to alleviate humanitarian suffering,” according to the text.

The resolution needs the support of at least nine countries and no veto from the United States, France, Britain, Russia, or China to be adopted, and the United States may make additional amendments to the draft.

The United States wants to link any support provided by the United Nations Security Council for an immediate ceasefire to the release of Israeli detainees held by Hamas, according to Reuters.

On the other hand, the United States condemns in the resolution the Palestinian resistance’s attack on October 7, 2022 (the Al-Aqsa Flood), while emphasizing its concerns that the Israeli ground attack on Rafah in southern Gaza “will lead to further harm and displacement of civilians, including to neighboring countries,” according to the text.

Change in American Position

Washington had previously opposed the use of the term “ceasefire”, and during the ongoing five-month war, Washington vetoed three draft resolutions, including one calling for an immediate ceasefire.

Recently, the United States justified its veto by saying that any similar move by the council would undermine efforts by the United States, Egypt, and Qatar to mediate a ceasefire in the war and release detainees.

Washington usually protects Israel at the United Nations, but it abstained from voting twice, allowing the council to adopt resolutions aimed at enhancing aid delivery to Gaza and calling for extended ceasefires in the fighting.

Israel waged a devastating war on the Gaza Strip that left tens of thousands of casualties, mostly children and women, as well as an unprecedented humanitarian catastrophe and a noticeable deterioration in infrastructure and property, according to Palestinian and UN data, leading Israel to face charges of “genocide” before the International Court of Justice.