UN demands ceasefire in Gaza during Muslim holy month of Ramadan

The United Nations Security Council has demanded a ceasefire in Gaza during the Muslim holy month of Ramadan, its first demand to halt fighting. The United States abstained on the resolution, which also demanded the release of all hostages taken captive during Hamas’ October 7 surprise attack in southern Israel. But the measure does not link that demand to the ceasefire during Ramadan, which ends April 9.

The vote comes after Russia and China vetoed a US-sponsored resolution on Friday that would have supported “an immediate and sustained ceasefire” in the Israeli-Hamas conflict. The United States warned that the resolution approved on Monday could hurt negotiations – by the US, Egypt and Qatar – to halt hostilities. The resolution, put forward by the 10 elected council members, is backed by Russia and China and the 22-nation Arab Group at the United Nations.

A statement issued on Friday night by the Arab Group appealed to all 15 council members “to act with unity and urgency” and vote for the resolution “to halt the bloodshed, preserve human lives and avert further human suffering and destruction”. “It is long past time for a ceasefire,” the Arab Group said.

Because Ramadan ends next month, the ceasefire demand would last for just two weeks, though the draft says the pause in fighting should lead “to a permanent sustainable ceasefire”.

Since the start of the war, the Security Council has adopted two resolutions on the worsening humanitarian situation in Gaza, but none has called for a ceasefire. More than 32,000 Palestinians in Gaza have been killed during the fighting, according to the Gaza Health Ministry.

The agency does not differentiate between civilians and combatants in its count but says women and children make up two-thirds of the dead.

Gaza also faces a dire humanitarian emergency, with a report from an international authority on hunger warning March 18 that “famine is imminent” in northern Gaza and that escalation of the war could push half of the territory’s 2.3 million people to the brink of starvation.

International Rescue Committee UK said the adoption of Resolution 2728 by the Security Council today, demanding an immediate ceasefire in Gaza for the duration of Ramadan and the unconditional release of hostages is "an important step after too many failed votes."

It said: A ceasefire is the only way to ensure civilians are protected and is central to enabling the scale up of humanitarian assistance to safely reach those in desperate need. The IRC continues to call for a sustained ceasefire - well beyond the month of Ramadan, which ends in only a few weeks' time. This resolution must serve as a critical turning point and it must be implemented.

"IRC urges Council members, including the United Kingdom, to leverage all their influence to achieve an immediate cessation of hostilities and work towards a lasting ceasefire. It is paramount that the Council and its members also continue to advocate for the implementation of the calls it has set out in this resolution and those in resolutions 2720 and 2712, ensuring that all parties comply with their obligations under International Humanitarian Law, including the protection of civilians and civilian objects such as hospitals from attack, and take urgent steps to increase humanitarian access across the entire Gaza strip including through the use of all available routes and border crossings to Gaza.

"It is unconscionable that Israel is blocking UNRWA from delivering food in the north of Gaza where famine is imminent and children are already dying of starvation. Without a ceasefire in place that is respected by all parties, alongside steps by Israel to remove obstacles to the scale up of humanitarian aid, Gaza risks facing further catastrophe - based on John Hopkins analysis, up to 140,000 children could be acutely malnourished by August if the crisis continues to escalate without a ceasefire. Time has run out, a ceasefire must be implemented without delay."