UN Security Council passes resolution calling for humanitarian pauses, release of hostages in Gaza

The United Nations Security Council on Wednesday passed a resolution calling for the release of hostages held by Palestinian militant group Hamas and for urgent humanitarian pauses and corridors to be opened in besieged Gaza.

The resolution, which was brought by Malta, passed after several unsuccessful votes on a resolution regarding the Israel-Hamas war last month. It ultimately passed on Wednesday with 12 members of the council supporting it.

Russia, the United States and the U.K. abstained from the vote. Russia had called for a ceasefire in the fighting.

U.S. Ambassador to the U.N. Linda Thomas-Greenfield, blasted members for not adopting language that condemns Hamas for the deadly Oct. 7 attack in southern Israel that killed 1,200 people.

“I’m horrified that a few members of this council still cannot bring themselves to condemn the barbaric terrorist attack,” she said. “What are they afraid of? What is stopping them from unequivocally condemning the actions of a terrorist organization that is determined to kill Jews?”

Thomas-Greenfield, however, said she supported the resolution for calling for the release of hostages held by Hamas.

The resolution is legally binding but can technically be ignored. It calls for pauses to help with humanitarian access, but not a cease-fire.

The U.S. has already worked with Israel to implement daily tactical pauses and trucks with aid are rolling through Gaza’s border corridor with Egypt.

The resolution also calls for the “immediate and unconditional release” of the estimated 239 hostages held by Hamas.

The State of Palestine, an observer at the U.N., said Gaza is under a siege from Israel and that the Security Council should have called for a ceasefire and condemned the killing of civilians.

“It did not condemn the assault on hospitals and schools,” said Palestinian U.N. representative Riyad Mansour. “Selective outrage breeds double standards and shows disregard for Palestinian life and the refusal to recognize Israeli crimes.”

Israeli Ambassador to the U.N. Gilad Erdan said the resolution “falls on deaf ears when it comes to Hamas and other terrorist organizations” and vowed that his country will continue its mission in Gaza.

The ongoing war has created a dire humanitarian crisis in the coastal enclave, where Hamas-run Palestinian Health Ministry said more than 11,000 people have died since the war began in early October.

Israel has vowed to destroy Hamas in retaliation for its deadly Oct. 7 attacks and the taking of hostages.