New Delhi: The United Nations Security Council on Monday approved a resolution endorsing a cease-fire plan for Gaza and release of  hostages. The resolution was approved with an overwhelmingly majority- with 14 of the 15 Security Council members voting in favor and Russia abstaining. The US-sponsored resolution calls on Israel and Hamas “to fully implement its terms without delay and without condition". 

This is the first to be adopted by the UN aimed at ending the eight-month war between Israel and Hamas in Gaza. The Security Council adopted a resolution on March 25 demanding a humanitarian cease-fire in Gaza during the Muslim holy month of Ramadan, with the US abstaining, but there was no halt to the war. 

The US-sponsored resolution welcomes a cease-fire proposal announced by President Joe Biden that the United States says Israel has accepted. It calls on the Hamas, to accept the three-phase plan. Hamas had initially said it viewed the proposal “positively”.  US Ambassador Linda Thomas-Greenfield said after the vote the council “sent a clear message to Hamas to accept the cease-fire deal on the table,” reiterating that Israel has accepted the deal which is supported by countries across the world. “The fighting could stop today, if Hamas would do the same,” she told the council.

What are the 3 Phases? 

The cease-fire plan has three phases, as per the proposal. 

1. Phase one requires the safe distribution of humanitarian assistance “at scale throughout the Gaza Strip,” which Biden said would lead to 600 trucks with aid entering Gaza every day, as per AP. 
2. In phase two, the resolution says that with the agreement of Israel and Hamas, “a permanent end to hostilities, in exchange for the release of all other hostages still in Gaza, and a full withdrawal of Israeli forces from Gaza” will take place.
3. Phase three would launch “a major multi-year reconstruction plan for Gaza and the return of the remains of any deceased hostages still in Gaza to their families."  

The resolution reiterates the Security Council's “unwavering commitment to achieving the vision of a negotiated two-state solution where two democratic states, Israel and Palestine, live side by side in peace within secure and recognized borders.” 

What Hamas Said on UN Resolution

Hamas, welcoming the adoption ceasefire proposal by UN, said that it is ready to work with mediators in indirect negotiations with Israel to implement the principles of the plan. The statement was among the strongest from Hamas to date but stressed the group would continue “our struggle” to end the Israeli occupation and work on setting up a “fully sovereign” Palestinian state.

Earlier on Monday, Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad leaders met in Qatar to discuss the proposed cease-fire deal and said later that any deal must lead to a permanent cease-fire, a full Israeli withdrawal from the Gaza Strip, an end to the Israeli siege of Gaza, reconstruction and “a serious exchange deal” between hostages in Gaza and Palestinians held in Israeli jails.

(With AP Inputs)