عربي English Türkçe اردو فارسى
Logo
Latest News
Arab World

US Proposes UN Resolution Supporting Temporary Ceasefire in Gaza

Temporary shelters for Internally displaced Palestinians in the Rafah camp, southern Gaza Strip, 18 February 2024. (EPA)
Temporary shelters for Internally displaced Palestinians in the Rafah camp, southern Gaza Strip, 18 February 2024. (EPA)
TT
20
TT

US Proposes UN Resolution Supporting Temporary Ceasefire in Gaza

Temporary shelters for Internally displaced Palestinians in the Rafah camp, southern Gaza Strip, 18 February 2024. (EPA)
Temporary shelters for Internally displaced Palestinians in the Rafah camp, southern Gaza Strip, 18 February 2024. (EPA)

The United States has proposed a rival draft United Nations Security Council resolution that would underscore the body's "support for a temporary ceasefire in Gaza as soon as practicable," according to the text seen by Reuters on Monday.

Washington has been averse to the word ceasefire in any UN action on the Israel-Hamas war, but the US draft text echoes language that President Joe Biden said he used last week in conversations with Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

The US draft text also "determines that under current circumstances a major ground offensive into Rafah would result in further harm to civilians and their further displacement including potentially into neighboring countries."

Israel plans to storm Rafah in southern Gaza, where more than 1 millions Palestinians have sought shelter, prompting international concern that such a move would sharply worsen the humanitarian crisis in Gaza.

The draft US resolution says such a move "would have serious implications for regional peace and security, and therefore underscores that such a major ground offensive should not proceed under current circumstances."

It was not immediately clear when or if the draft resolution would be put to a vote in the 15-member council.

The US put forward the text after Algeria on Saturday requested the council vote on Tuesday on its draft resolution, which would demand an immediate humanitarian ceasefire in the Israel-Hamas war. US Ambassador to the UN Linda Thomas-Greenfield quickly signaled that it would be vetoed.

Washington traditionally shields its ally Israel from UN action and has already twice vetoed council resolutions since Oct. 7. But it has also abstained twice, allowing the council to adopt resolutions that aimed to boost humanitarian aid to Gaza and called for urgent and extended humanitarian pauses in fighting.

The US, Egypt, Israel and Qatar are seeking to negotiate a pause in the war and the release of hostages held by Hamas.

Algeria put forward an initial draft resolution more than two weeks ago. But Thomas-Greenfield said the text could jeopardize the "sensitive negotiations" on the hostages.

The Gaza war began when fighters from the Hamas militant group that runs Gaza attacked Israel on Oct. 7, killing 1,200 people and capturing 253 hostages, according to Israeli tallies. In retaliation, Israel launched a military assault on Gaza that health authorities say has killed more than 28,000 Palestinians with thousands more bodies feared lost amid the ruins.

Most Viewed

 
Arab World

Inadequate Food Consumption Worsens in 7 Yemeni Governorates

The United Nations plans to reach 12 million Yemenis in need of assistance this year. (dpa)
The United Nations plans to reach 12 million Yemenis in need of assistance this year. (dpa)
TT
20
TT

Inadequate Food Consumption Worsens in 7 Yemeni Governorates

The United Nations plans to reach 12 million Yemenis in need of assistance this year. (dpa)
The United Nations plans to reach 12 million Yemenis in need of assistance this year. (dpa)

Inadequate food consumption worsened in seven Yemeni governorates, mostly in Houthi-controlled areas, UN data revealed.

The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) warned that the suspension of US funds for some aid organizations is likely to impact the delivery humanitarian assistance in Yemen, potentially escalating food insecurity in the coming months.

Food insecurity remained alarmingly high in Yemen, reflecting a minimal increase of about 1% in January compared to December 2024 levels, the UN agency said in its High-Frequency Monitoring (HFM) Snapshot.

“Food insecurity remained alarmingly high in both areas under the control of the legitimate government Yemen and in Houthi-controlled areas, with inadequate food consumption scores of 53% and 43.7%, respectively,” it added.

Compared to last month, inadequate food consumption worsened in seven governorates. Five of them, Al Jawf, Hajjah, Hodeidah, Sanaa and Amran, are under the control of the Iran-backed Houthi militias, in addition to the governorate of Maarib, which is partly controlled by the militias. Only Lahj is under the control of the legitimate government.

The FAO report also showed that among the food insecure population, approximately 20% experienced severe food deprivation, measured by poor food consumption score, with 24% in government areas, which is a 2% increase from the previous month.

In Houthi-controlled areas, severe food deprivation remained steady at 19%.

It said food insecurity is projected to likely worsen in February, coinciding with the peak of the lean season and worsening economic crisis marked by depreciating local currency and increasing food prices in areas under the control of the legitimate government.

Suspension of US aid

FAO expected that the suspension of USAID funds for some aid organizations is likely to impact the delivery humanitarian assistance in Yemen, potentially escalating food insecurity in the coming months.

Before the Trump administration said it is eliminating more than 90% of its USAID foreign assistance, Washington had announced in mid 2024 it is providing nearly $220 million in additional humanitarian aid to help the people of Yemen, including nearly $200 million through USAID and nearly $20 million through the Department of State.

The humanitarian assistance brought the US total assistance to the humanitarian response in Yemen to nearly $5.9 billion since the conflict began in September 2014.

The US State Department said these additional funds will support humanitarian partners to continue to reach millions of vulnerable Yemenis, as well as refugees and asylum seekers in Yemen, with treatment of malnutrition, support primary healthcare, safe drinking water, gender-based violence care and psychosocial support for crisis-affected populations.

Maternal deaths

Other data released by the UN Population Fund (UNPF) said that Yemen still has one of the highest maternal mortality rates in the region, at 183 maternal deaths per 100,000 live births.

Some 40% of health facilities are partially functioning or completely out of service because of shortages in staff, funds, electricity, medicine and equipment, leaving millions without adequate care.

UN research showed that midwives could avert around two thirds of all maternal and newborn deaths and stillbirths globally, and deliver some 90% of all essential sexual, reproductive, maternal and newborn health services.

Yet the profession has for too long been marginalized within health systems, an imbalance UNFPA is working to rectify by investing in midwifery training and deployment to reach more women and save more lives, quickly and at scale.

In 2020, with funding from the European Union, UNFPA established a series of three-year training programs at seven institutes in remote and hard-to-access areas, where rates of maternal and newborn deaths in Yemen are the highest.

As a result, the Fund said over 400,000 women benefitted recently from the programs, of whom more than 50,000 had safe home deliveries with community midwives, and more than 77,000 received family planning services.