New UN draft resolution seeks Gaza ceasefire as hospitals near collapse
The UN Security Council is set to vote again today, Thursday, on a new draft resolution calling for a ceasefire in Gaza and an end to the 'Israeli' blockade that has created a humanitarian crisis.
The vote comes after repeated US vetoes on similar resolutions and as the conflict enters its 23rd month.
The resolution, which has the support of a majority of member states, aims to secure immediate and unrestricted humanitarian access to the besieged and devastated Gaza Strip. Diplomatic sources have indicated that the new draft is a response to the UN's official declaration of famine in Gaza in late August.
The vote coincides with an ongoing 'Israeli' military operation in northern Gaza that has killed at least 14 Palestinians.
The 'Israeli' army, in a statement, said its Air Force had carried out a strike on a Hamas weapons depot in Gaza City on Wednesday, where "explosive devices intended for use against 'Israeli' forces" were being stored.
WHO Director-General Warns of Hospital Collapse
In parallel with the Security Council's vote, the Director-General of the World Health Organization (WHO), Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, warned on X that Gaza's hospitals were "on the verge of collapse" due to the expanded ground offensive.
"The military incursion and evacuation orders in northern Gaza are causing new waves of displacement," Tedros wrote. He added that the hospitals, which are already strained, are "on the verge of collapse" and that the rising violence is preventing the WHO from delivering vital medical supplies.
Diplomatic Tensions and Previous Vetoes
The new draft resolution follows earlier discussions among elected members of the Security Council. Diplomatic sources reported that France and the UK had previously expressed skepticism about the effectiveness of a purely humanitarian resolution, given the likelihood of a US veto.
The United States has repeatedly used its veto power to block resolutions on a ceasefire, arguing that such a move would undermine 'Israel's' right to self-defense and ongoing diplomatic efforts.
