The United States Calls for a Security Council Vote on a Resolution Supporting a Ceasefire in Gaza

On Sunday, June 9, the United States announced that it has requested the United Nations Security Council to vote on its proposed draft resolution supporting an "immediate ceasefire with the release of hostages" between Israel and Hamas. According to diplomatic sources cited by AFP, the vote on this resolution is scheduled for Monday, June 10, but has not yet been confirmed by South Korea, which holds the presidency of the Security Council in June. Nate Evans, spokesperson for the U.S. mission to the UN, did not mention the date of the vote but stated, "Today, the United States urged the Security Council to take action for a vote... to support the proposal on the table." Evans said, "Council members should not let this opportunity slip away and must speak with one voice in support of this agreement." President Joe Biden has initiated a new three-phase plan to establish a ceasefire and ensure the release of hostages since Friday, June 1. According to this proposal, Israel will withdraw from densely populated areas of Gaza, and Hamas will release the hostages. The ceasefire will last for six weeks in the first phase and will then be extended while negotiations for a permanent end to the conflict take place. The United States places the primary responsibility for accepting this proposal on Hamas and specifically urges this Iran-backed group to accept the final version of the draft text. This version, which was distributed among member countries on Sunday and seen by AFP, "welcomes" the new ceasefire proposal while stating, contrary to previous versions, that Israel has already accepted it. The draft resolution "calls on Hamas to accept it and urges both sides to fully implement its terms without delay and unconditionally." Biden's plan includes an "immediate, complete, and comprehensive ceasefire," the release of hostages taken by Hamas, "the exchange of Palestinian prisoners," and "the withdrawal of Israeli forces from densely populated areas of Gaza." The plan also includes "the safe and effective distribution of humanitarian aid throughout the Gaza Strip for all Palestinian civilians in need." According to diplomatic sources, several Security Council members have expressed their concerns about the two previous versions of the text, particularly Algeria and Russia, which has veto power. Since the deadly Hamas attack on Israel on October 7 and the subsequent Israeli counterattack, the Security Council has been trying to adopt a unified position. Hamas, which is supported by the Iranian government, killed 1,200 people in this attack and took about 250 hostages. The United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, the European Union, Japan, and Israel are among the countries that have designated Hamas as a terrorist organization. Reactions to Israel's special operations in the Nuseirat camp in Gaza to free four hostages from Hamas include Benny Gantz announcing his resignation from Netanyahu's emergency government, condemnation of the killing of Palestinian civilians during the rescue operations for Israeli hostages; the White House stating that Hamas has placed people in the "line of fire"; Al Jazeera denying any connection with a Gaza-based Hamas member "journalist"; Sullivan calling for Hamas to accept Israel's conditions for establishing a ceasefire and releasing hostages; and Kamala Harris expressing happiness over the rescue of hostages while mourning the innocent lives lost.