UNITED NATIONS: India voted in favour of a draft resolution in the UN General Assembly that demanded an immediate humanitarian ceasefire in the Israel-Hamas conflict as well as the unconditional release of all hostages.
The 193-member UN General Assembly adopted the draft resolution, introduced by Egypt, at an Emergency Special Session here on Tuesday. The resolution was adopted with 153 votes in favour, while 23 nations abstained and 10 voted against the text.
The resolution, sponsored among others by Algeria, Bahrain, Iraq, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Palestine, demanded an immediate humanitarian ceasefire in Gaza and reiterated its demand that all parties comply with their obligations under international law, “notably with regard to the protection of civilians”.
It also demanded the “immediate and unconditional release of all hostages, as well as ensuring humanitarian access”. The resolution, however, did not name Hamas and the US proposed an amendment to the draft resolution, calling for the insertion of the paragraph: “Unequivocally rejects and condemns the heinous terrorist attacks by Hamas that took place in Israel starting October 7 and the taking of hostages” in the main text. India voted in favour of the amendment.
In October, India had abstained in the General Assembly on a resolution that had called for an immediate humanitarian truce in the Israel-Hamas conflict and unhindered humanitarian access in the Gaza strip. The Jordanian-drafted resolution had also demanded the immediate, continuous, sufficient and unhindered provision of essential goods and services to civilians throughout the Gaza Strip.