According to diplomats, the UN Security Council is scheduled to cast a vote on competing resolutions from the US and Russia about Israel’s war with Hamas, a Palestinian terrorist organization, in the Gaza Strip later on Wednesday.
To alleviate Gaza’s food, water, medical supply, and electrical shortages, both nations are requesting resolutions from the UN Security Council. But while Russia supports a humanitarian truce, the United States has asked for pauses to let relief reach Gaza.
The vote by the 15-member council is scheduled for 3 p.m. EDT/1900 GMT. A Security Council resolution must receive nine votes or more in order to pass, and the US, France, the UK, Russia, or China cannot veto it.
The question of whether Russia and the US would veto each other arose since it was unclear which draft language had the bare minimum of support required.
The votes followed two unsuccessful votes by the council last week: on October 16, just five members supported a Russian draft resolution, and on October 18, the United States vetoed a Brazilian draft text that had gained twelve yes votes.
The United States unveiled its draft document on Saturday, which startled some diplomats at first because of how bluntly it demanded Iran cease supplying armaments to terrorist organizations and acknowledged Israel’s right to self-defense.
Since then, it has softened the draft’s general language and eliminated any mention of Israel’s right to self-defense or Iran.
However, Russia declared on Tuesday that it could not endorse the American plan of action and proposed its document instead.
After militants from Hamas broke through the perimeter fence around the enclave on October 7 and went on a rampage into Israeli cities and kibbutzes, murdering 1,400 people, Israel has promised to destroy the Islamist organization that administers Gaza.
Since then, Israel has bombarded Gaza from the air, enforced a blockade, and is getting ready to launch a ground attack. More than 5,700 individuals have reportedly died in the enclave, according to Palestinian officials. According to the UN, 1.4 million people are homeless.
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