UN urges Gaza truce, backs Palestine agency

The international community has thrown its support behind the United Nations Palestine refugees agency following the adoption of two resolutions by the UN General Assembly that demanded Israel reverse its stance against the agency and reiterated the urgent need for a cease-fire in Gaza.

In its 10th emergency special session on Wednesday, the 193-member General Assembly continued its consideration of "illegal Israeli actions in occupied East Jerusalem and the rest of the Occupied Palestinian Territory" and adopted two resolutions on the matter.

The first resolution, titled "Demand for cease-fire in Gaza", was approved with 158 votes in favor, nine against — including Israel and the United States — and 13 abstentions.

The second one, "Support for the mandate of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East", received 159 votes in favor, nine against and 11 abstentions.

"The Assembly also reiterated its commitment to the vision of a two-state solution, with Gaza part of the Palestinian State, and where two democratic states, Palestine and Israel, live side by side in peace," the UN said.

In addition, the General Assembly reiterated its demand for the immediate release of all hostages and compelled Israel to allow the UN Palestine refugees agency, UNRWA, to proceed with its aid operations in Gaza and the West Bank without restrictions.

In October, the Israeli parliament voted to ban UNRWA.

"The (UN) vote count tells you a lot about how the world feels about Israel's atrocities — 158 versus 9 — Israel is isolated more than ever," Muslim Imran, director of the Asia Middle East Center for Research and Dialogue in Malaysia, told China Daily.

While such votes and resolutions may seem insignificant at times, they "build international momentum" to isolate Israel and dismantle its perceived "legitimacy", Imran said.

These actions carry "long-term, intangible value" rather than an immediate effect, he added.

Relentless attacks

At the same time as the General Assembly vote, Al Jazeera reported on Thursday that an Israeli attack on Palestinian security guards escorting a humanitarian aid shipment in Gaza killed at least 12 people and injured dozens.

Since dawn on Thursday, at least 35 Palestinians have been killed in Israeli airstrikes targeting various areas in Gaza, the Palestinian news agency WAFA reported.

Children and women were among seven killed when a residential building in Gaza City's al-Jalaa Street was bombed, WAFA said. Another 15 were killed in the bombing of a house where displaced people were taking shelter, west of Nuseirat camp in the central Gaza Strip, it added.

Indonesia's Foreign Ministry reaffirmed its commitment to the Palestinian cause by proposing the "Demand for cease-fire in Gaza" resolution during Wednesday's General Assembly session.

Hadi Rahmat Purnama, an assistant professor of international law and chair of the Centre for International Law Studies at the Faculty of Law at Universitas Indonesia, told China Daily that Jakarta has "committed to the objective of the UN to keep international peace and security".

He explained that the resolutions "come naturally" in response to the US veto of a similar cease-fire resolution at the UN Security Council last month.

"Although the UNGA resolutions do not have as much weight as the UNSC resolutions, they are a sign that the international community is concerned about the situation in Gaza," Purnama said.

"The resolutions will also put pressure on other states, especially the US and others, to resolve this massive humanitarian atrocity in Palestine, particularly in Gaza."

Philippe Lazzarini, head of UNRWA, wrote on X on Wednesday: "We need to scale up our support to the people of Gaza and need all parties to continue (the) facilitation of safe, unimpeded and uninterrupted humanitarian access to ensure aid reaches those who need it most. With political will, this is possible."

Reuters contributed to this story.

jan@chinadailyapac.com