U.S.-Israeli tensions rose on Monday as the Trump administration chose to recuse itself, paving the way for a United Nations Security Council resolution demanding an immediate end to the fighting in Gaza.
The United States has previously rejected such resolutions calling for a ceasefire on a regular basis, therefore its decision to abstain from voting was a significant change in policy. This change of attitude followed last week’s US proposal of a ceasefire resolution, which the US had linked to the release of hostages; both Russia and China blocked the resolution.
The resolution was able to pass with the backing of most of the Security Council members because the United States abstained from Monday’s vote. Although the resolution included US-requested modifications, Washington was unable to completely support it owing to differences on specific points, as US Ambassador to the UN Linda Thomas-Greenfield said.
The UN Security Council and member nations must put pressure on Hamas to accept the parameters that have been proposed to achieve a ceasefire, Ambassador Thomas-Greenfield said, stressing that the release of hostages is an essential condition for this to happen.
An immediate truce during Ramadan, the unconditional release of captives, and urgent attempts to boost humanitarian assistance delivery to Gaza were the demands of the resolution, which was put forward by non-permanent members of the Security Council.
Tensions about a possible Israeli military action in Rafah, a city in southern Gaza, were rising at the same time as the vote at the UN. The US has been pressing Israel for more information about its intentions to protect the civilians in Rafah, warning against any mistakes that may be made.
Netanyahu, the prime minister of Israel, halted the travel to the United States of two of his senior advisors in reaction to the resolution. As a result of this action, the already tense situation in Gaza between Israel and the United States became much more apparent.
Speculation circulated that the United States may have mediated a prisoner-hostage settlement between Israel and Hamas. A possible exchange for Israeli hostages held by Hamas might be the release of Palestinian inmates held by Israel as part of the proposed accord. But Hamas made it clear that important matters, including a complete end to hostilities and the repatriation of displaced people, were still up in the air.
These new events highlight how difficult it is to resolve the crisis and how complicated the situation is in Gaza. It is still the goal of the ongoing diplomatic efforts to end the humanitarian catastrophe in Gaza and achieve a long-term truce that resolves the fundamental complaints of both sides.
