Algeria has circulated a United Nations Security Council resolution proposal which would demand an immediate ceasefire in the Gaza Strip and the halting of Israel’s military offensive in Rafah.
According to the Associated Press news agency, Algeria’s draft resolution – which it gained access to – states that “the catastrophic situation in the Gaza Strip constitutes a threat to regional and international peace and security”, and expresses serious concern regarding “famine spreading throughout the Gaza Strip” and the suffering of Palestinians who took refuge in the Territory’s southern area of Rafah.
The draft resolution demanded that Israel “immediately halt its military offensive, and any other action in Rafah”, condemning Tel Aviv’s “indiscriminate targeting of civilians, including women and children, and civilian infrastructure”. An immediate ceasefire in Gaza must be respected by all parties, it stated, reiterating compliance with previous UN Security Council resolutions that have called for Israel to open all border crossings and let in humanitarian aid to Gaza’s starving population of 2.3 million people.
Algeria’s proposal came particularly after Israel’s deadly airstrikes that struck Rafah on Sunday night and caused a fire in a camp for displaced Palestinians, killing 45 people and injuring over 100 others. More strikes have followed since, with Tel Aviv blatantly neglecting and directly refusing the international community’s calls to halt such action, as well as orders by the International Court of Justice (ICJ).
Although the draft resolution is yet to be voted on, it has reportedly already received significant support by many diplomats representing the members of the Security Council, with Chinese Ambassador to the UN, Fu Cong, saying “It is our hope that it [the passing of the resolution] can be done as quickly as possible because life is in the balance”.
Some have been sceptical of the draft, however, particularly Israel’s allies such as the United States, with US Ambassador, Linda Thomas-Greenfield, claiming that “We’re waiting to see it and then we’ll react to it.”
READ: Algeria submits draft UN resolution calling for immediate ceasefire in Gaza