At UNGA, India votes for immediate humanitarian ceasefire in Gaza

The United Nations General Assembly (UNGA), on Tuesday, December 12 adopted a resolution urging an immediate humanitarian ceasefire in the war in Gaza.

The resolution, introduced by Egypt, was also supported by India. India's Permanent Representative to the UN, Ruchira Kamboj, said, "India has voted in favour of the resolution just adopted by the General Assembly."

Notably the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) resolutions are not legally binding, unlike UNSC resolutions but convey a global opinion.

According to the Associated Press, more than 17,700 Palestinians have been killed in Gaza since October 7, around two-thirds of them women and children. About 90% of Gaza’s 2.3 million people have been displaced.

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The resolution

• The UNGA resolution demanded an "immediate humanitarian ceasefire in Gaza", as well as the "immediate and unconditional release of all hostages."
• The resolution introduced by Egypt was supported by countries like Algeria, Bahrain, Iraq, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, UAE, and Palestine.

• It received 153 votes in favour, while 23 nations abstained and 10 voted against it.
• Support for the ceasefire in this resolution is greater than the one passed in October in the 193-member house.
• The USA and Israel were among the countries who voted against it, while the United Kingdom abstained from it, reported Al Jazeera.
• The resolution did not explicitly name "Hamas", the Gaza bases outfit, prompting the United States to propose an amendment condemning "heinous terrorist attacks by Hamas."
• The effort failed, reported Al Jazeera.

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India's evolving stance

• India, which previously abstained from a similar resolution in October, voted in favour.
• Ruchira Kamboj, India's Permanent Representative to the UN, highlighted the multi-dimensional nature of the situation, acknowledging the "terrorist attack in Israel on October 7" and emphasising the need to address the humanitarian crisis.

• "There is an enormous humanitarian crisis and a large-scale loss of civilian lives, especially of women and children," said Representative Kamboj.

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International response

• Israel's Permanent Representative, Gilad Erdan, criticised the resolution, stating, "Not only does this resolution fail to condemn Hamas for crimes against humanity, it does not mention Hamas at all.
• "This will only prolong the death and destruction in the region," he added.
• The resolution result also shows the growing support for the ceasefire, the dire humanitarian situation in the Palestinian enclave and the expanding gap between Israel and its allies.
• Egyptian UN Ambassador Osama Abdelkhalek called the draft resolution “balanced and neutral.”
• “We thank all those who supported the draft resolution that was just adopted by a huge majority,” Saudi Arabia’s UN ambassador Abdulaziz Alwasil said.

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The war in Gaza, ongoing for three months, has resulted in over 1,200 deaths in Israel in the initial days of the war in October. Israel insists on continuing its military offensive until Hamas is destroyed.

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