JERUSALEM (dpa-AFX) - The UN Security Council has adopted a resolution aimed at reaching a comprehensive ceasefire deal in three phases to end the 8-months-old war in Gaza.
14 members voted in favor of the resolution that urges both parties to fully implement the terms of the proposal 'without delay and without condition,' while Russia abstained from voting on Monday.
Notably, Russia's decision not to exercise its veto power helped the council endorse for the first time such a plan to end the war.
The United States-drafted text calls for Hamas to accept a ceasefire proposal announced last week by President Joe Biden that Washington says has already been accepted by Israel.
However, in the same meeting, Israel vowed to press on with the ongoing military operations in Gaza, and made clear that it won't engage in talks with Hamas, terming it 'meaningless.'
On the other side, Hamas reportedly welcomed the resolution, and said it was ready to hold talks with mediators.
After a meeting with Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant in Israel on Monday, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said Israel was ready to sign an agreement and that next is the turn for Hamas to accept it.
'The Secretary and Defense Minister discussed the proposal to achieve a ceasefire in Gaza as part of a hostage deal, secure the release of all hostages, and surge humanitarian assistance throughout Gaza. The Secretary commended Israel's readiness to conclude a deal and affirmed that the onus is on Hamas to accept,' says a statement issued by State Department Spokesperson Matthew Miller.
President Biden described the deal as 'not just a ceasefire that would inevitably be fragile and temporary' but one that would provide a 'durable end to the war.'
He added that the terms of the deal had been transmitted by Qatar to the leadership of Hamas.
Signaling a hopeful shift in diplomacy, the US-led initiative brought both Israel and the Palestinian mission on board, avoiding the vetoes from permanent members - including the US itself - which have stalled action on several of the resolutions which have failed to pass since the 7 October terror attacks and kidnappings began the cycle of violence.
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