Pandor pleased with UNSC resolution for Gaza ceasefire

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Minister of International Relations Dr Naledi Pandor has welcomed the United Nations Security Council’s resolution on a ceasefire for the month of Ramadan.

The legally binding text also demands the immediate and unconditional release of all hostages while emphasizing the urgent need to expand the flow of humanitarian access to civilians in the entire Gaza Strip.

Minister Pandor elaborates further, “South Africa has called for a ceasefire many many weeks ago and we are very pleased that at last the Security Council has agreed on a resolution calling for a ceasefire for a long-term period during this month of Ramadan. But also proposing that work should begin toward a permanent ceasefire. I think this is a welcomed resolution.”

Fourteen countries voted in favour of the draft while the United States abstained.

The adoption follows a failure in the Council last week to pass a US drafted text that determined the imperative for a ceasefire but failed to explicitly demand its immediate implementation.

This text, an initiative of the Elected 10 non-permanent members, does exactly that.

It’s unclear if it will be implemented, particularly by Israel which is expected to criticize the resolution because it does not explicitly condemn Hamas, which has been a key ask for both Israel and the United States.

The text critically emphasizes the urgent need to expand humanitarian aid and demands the lifting of all barriers to the provision of humanitarian assistance at scale and in line with international humanitarian law. elected members of the body.