UN General Assembly to vote on 'unconditional' ceasefire in Gaza

New York: The UN General Assembly will vote Wednesday on a draft resolution calling for an immediate and unconditional ceasefire in Gaza, a symbolic g...

New York: The UN General Assembly will vote Wednesday on a draft resolution calling for an immediate and unconditional ceasefire in Gaza, a symbolic gesture after the United States vetoed a similar action in the UN Security Council.

Late last month, Washington used its veto power on the Council -- as it has before -- to protect its ally Israel, which has been at war with Hamas in the Gaza Strip since the Palestinian militant group's October 7, 2023 attack on Israel.

It blocked the Council's attempt to call for a ceasefire, saying a link between a ceasefire and a release of all hostages had to be maintained.

This time in the Assembly, the draft resolution, which would be non-binding if approved, calls for both "an immediate, unconditional and permanent ceasefire," and "the immediate and unconditional release of all hostages."

The resolution also demands "immediate access" to widespread humanitarian aid for the citizens of Gaza, especially in the besieged north of the territory.