The UN Security Council supports the plan by the US to end the war in Gaza

The United States-backed Plan for the Gaza Strip and its Implications for the U.S.-Israel Interaction in the Middle East

The American Mission to the United Nations began drafting the resolution and negotiating over it in the days after President Biden announced on May 31 that Israel had put forth a cease-fire deal. According to Mr. Biden’s spokesman, the framework he set out is what the resolution follows.

According to diplomats, the United States refused to include clear language in the text that Israel would accept the deal because it wanted Security Council members to know that Israel was on board.

The conflict began eight months ago, and the Security Council has been in a stalemate over finding a way to end it.

China, which vetoed a cease-fire resolution put forth by the United States in March because it said the proposal did not go far enough, said that it had voted in favor of this one because it wants to see the fighting end and the hostages released.

There are valid concerns about whether the parties concerned will accept the terms of the cease-fire and the arrangement can be carried out smoothly.

The U.N. Security Council on Monday adopted a U.S.-backed cease-fire plan for the Gaza Strip after Russia opted not to block it, adding extra heft to a growing international push for an end to the fighting.

Washington had once vetoed cease-fire resolutions before the council but was dealt a diplomatic victory with the passing of the resolution.

Linda Thomas-Greenfield, the U.S. ambassador to the UN, said that a political settlement was the only way to end the cycle of violence.

The vote took place on a day when the U.S. Secretary of State was in Egypt and Israel. He called on countries to urge Hamas to accept the deal.

The first phase of the plan consists of an immediate cease-fire, the release of all hostages, the return of displaced Gazans to their homes and the withdrawal of Israeli forces from Gaza.

Israel’s UN representative, Reut Shapir Ben-Naftaly, didn’t say that her country has accepted the terms, but she did say that it would use military operations to free hostages.

“We will continue until all of the hostages are returned and Hamas’s military capabilities are dismantled,” Ms. Shapir Ben-Naftaly told the council. She said if Hamas leaders freed all hostages and turned themselves in, “not one shot would be fired.”

The Russian ambassador to the United Nations, Vasily Nebenzya, said that the council remained in the dark about the details of the U.S.’s agreement with Israel and had “essentially voted for a cat in the bag.”

After a 14 to 0 vote, with Russia abstaining, U.S. Ambassador Linda Thomas-Greenfield said the council is sending a clear message to the Palestinian militant group Hamas.

Israel has agreed to the deal and it could stop the fighting today if Hamas did the same. She said that the fighting could stop today.

Press Hamas to say ‘yes’ if you want a cease-fire. Hamas should be pressed to say yes if you want to alleviate the suffering of Palestinians in Gaza. “If you would like to get all of the hostages home, you have to ask Hamas to say yes.”,” he said.

Hamas had called off negotiations after Israel rescued four hostages held in Gaza in an operation this weekend that also killed more than 270 Palestinians, according to Gaza’s Health Ministry.

The text is imperfect and offers a hope to the Palestinians but they will have to continue killing and suffering. “We voted for this text to give diplomacy a chance.”