Russia and China have expressed reservations about the U.S.-backed UN resolution on a Gaza ceasefire plan announced by President Biden last week.
Russia has proposed amendments to the U.S. draft, urging both Israel and the Palestinian militant group Hamas to accept an unconditional and permanent ceasefire that all parties abide by, according to Reuters. Russia has called for the draft resolution to emphasize that the ceasefire outlined in the first phase will be maintained while the second phase of negotiations takes place, Reuters reported.
Alegria has not yet backed the resolution, Reuters reported, citing diplomats. Nine votes were needed for the resolution. Russia and China have veto power as permanent members of the UN Security Council.
Biden last Friday detailed a three-part roadmap for a ceasefire in Gaza, an Israeli-led proposal that has been submitted to Hamas for consideration.
The United States sent a one-page draft resolution to all Security Council members saying the cease-fire proposal was “acceptable” to Israel and urged Hamas to accept it, Reuters reported.
According to Reuters, some members of the Security Council are questioning whether Israel has approved the plan. Rather, they want the Security Council to uphold the ceasefire resolution passed in late March.
The proposal Biden laid out from the White House included a six-week ceasefire followed by Israeli troops withdrawing from densely populated areas of the Gaza Strip and calling for the release of the remaining hostages taken from the country when Hamas attacked it on Oct. 7, leaving 1,200 Israelis dead. It also laid out a path for Palestinian civilians to return to their homes and work to rebuild the enclave.
According to Gaza health officials, Israel has killed more than 36,000 people in the war, now in its eighth month.
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