4 min readDec 14, 2023 02:09 AM IST
First published on: Dec 13, 2023 at 07:00 AM IST
More than two months after the Israel-Hamas war broke out, India has, for the first time, voted in favour of a draft resolution in the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) that demanded an “immediate humanitarian ceasefire” and unconditional release of all hostages.
This is perceived as a shift in New Delhi’s position, as India had not called for a ceasefire in its statements so far. In October, India had abstained at the UNGA on a resolution that had called for an immediate humanitarian truce leading to a cessation of hostilities and unhindered humanitarian access into the Gaza Strip.
“India has voted in favour of the resolution just adopted by the General Assembly,” India’s Permanent Representative to the UN, Ambassador Ruchira Kamboj, said after the vote. She said the challenge in “this extraordinarily difficult time” is to strike the “right balance”.
The 193-member UN General Assembly overwhelmingly adopted the resolution at an emergency special session on Tuesday, with 153 nations voting in its favour, 10 voting against and 23 abstentions. In fact, every country in Asia voted in favour of the resolution.
Those voting against included Austria, Israel and the US, while Germany, Hungary, Italy, Ukraine and the UK were among those who abstained.
Display monitors show the result of voting in the United Nations General Assembly, in favor of a resolution calling on Israel to uphold legal and humanitarian obligations in its war with Hamas. (Photo: AP)
The resolution, introduced by Egypt, demanded “an immediate humanitarian ceasefire” and reiterated its “demand that all parties comply with their obligations under international law, including international humanitarian law, notably about the protection of civilians”.
It also demanded the “immediate and unconditional release of all hostages, as well as ensuring humanitarian access”. The resolution, however, did not name the Hamas.
Austria and the US had moved separate amendments to the draft text. The amendment tabled by Austria called for the insertion of the line “held by Hamas and other groups” after the word “hostages” in the main draft, and also called for ensuring “immediate” humanitarian access.
The amendment tabled by the US called for the insertion of a paragraph in the main draft: “unequivocally rejects and condemns the heinous terrorist attacks by Hamas that took place in Israel starting October 7 and the taking of hostages”.
India voted in favour of both the amendments. However, the two amendments to the draft resolution could not be adopted since they failed to get the required two-thirds majority of votes.
The Austria-introduced amendment got 89 votes in favour, 61 against and 20 abstentions; the US-proposed amendment got 84 votes in favour, 62 against and 25 abstentions.
With the UNGA adopting the resolution, India welcomed the fact that the international community was able to find “common ground” to address the multiple challenges facing the region.
“Our challenge in this extraordinarily difficult time is to strike the right balance. The gravity and complexity of what the international community faces is underlined by the Secretary-General invoking Article 99 of the Charter of the United Nations,” Kamboj said.
She said the situation has many dimensions. “There is the terrorist attack in Israel on October 7 and the concern for the hostages taken at that time. There is an enormous humanitarian crisis and the largescale loss of civilian lives, especially of women and children,” she said.
Kamboj said there is also the issue of observing international humanitarian law in all circumstances, and the endeavour to find a peaceful and lasting two-state solution to the longstanding Palestine question.
Since October 7, over 19,000 people are reported to have been killed on both sides – over 1,200 in Israel, and over 18,000 Palestinians in Gaza.
With PTI inputs from New York
Palestinians look for survivors following Israeli bombardment of the Gaza Strip in Rafah on Tuesday. (AP Photo) 
Display monitors show the result of voting in the United Nations General Assembly, in favor of a resolution calling on Israel to uphold legal and humanitarian obligations in its war with Hamas. (Photo: AP)
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