The United Nations Security Council on Monday adopted a US-drafted resolution which backs the proposal for a ceasefire and hostage release deal which was outlined by President Joe Biden and which calls on Hamas to accept the proposal.
14 among the 15 members of the Security Council voted in favor of the proposal, while Russia abstained from the vote.
The United States initially submitted the resolution to the UN Security Council last week. The text of the resolution was finalized on Sunday.
US Ambassador to the UN Linda Thomas-Greenfield said after the vote, “Today, the UN Security Council sent a clear message to Hamas: Accept the ceasefire-hostage deal on the table.”
“Israel has already accepted this deal. The fighting could stop today – and hostages could come home today – if Hamas agreed to the deal,” she added.
The Hamas terrorist organization welcomed the decision of the UN Security Councils and said, "Hamas is ready to cooperate with the mediating countries regarding the implementation of the principles of the proposal."
According to the proposal outlined by Biden, the first phase of the three-phase process would last for six weeks and would include a full and complete ceasefire, withdrawal of Israeli forces from all populated areas of Gaza, and the release of a number of hostages, including women, the elderly, and the wounded, in exchange for the release of hundreds of Palestinian Arab prisoners.
Phase two would see the release of all remaining living hostages, while phase three would encompass "a major reconstruction plan for Gaza," said the President, as well as the repatriation of the remains of deceased hostages to their families.
White House national security spokesman John Kirby told reporters last Monday that the proposal outlined by Biden was an Israeli proposal.
“I’ve heard different statements coming out of Israel,” Kirby said, adding that the proposal outlined by Biden “accurately reflects that proposal that we worked with the Israelis on”.
His comments came after Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu participated in a discussion of the Knesset Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee and commented on the deal presented by Biden.
"I will not be ready to stop the war. Despite what President Biden said, it has not yet been agreed how many hostages will be released in the first phase. We can stop the fighting for 42 days in order to return the hostages. We cannot stop the war. The Iranians and all our enemies are looking at us, and want to see if we surrender," emphasized the Prime Minister.
He noted that "there are many more details in the deal and the war will not end without achieving all of our objectives. Don't pay attention to the publications, there's a lot of fake news going around. We will not give up on total victory."