The United Nations (UN) will be putting in their vote Monday for a resolution around an instant humanitarian cease-fire for the holy Muslim month of Ramadan. From what it’s understood, the decision to vote happened post China and Russia deciding to veto a US-sponsored resolution on Friday that would have supported “an immediate and sustained cease-fire” in the Israeli-Hamas conflict. 

Reportedly, the United States gave the warning that Monday’s voting of the resolution could have an impact on negotiations around halting hostilities by the US, Egypt, and Qatar. The resolution, brought forward by the 10 elected council members, has support from China and Russia along with the 22-nation Arab Group at the UN. Official data suggests that the vote was set to take place on Saturday morning, but had to be changed upon requests from sponsors for a rescheduling to Monday morning. Hopes have been expressed by Security Council associates that the preeminent body of the UN, which has the task of preserving international peace and security, will ask for the war to end that started with Gaza’s Hamas rulers launching a surprise attack into southern Israel on October 7, which resulted in the death of 1,200 people and around 250 people being taken as hostages.

Media reports state that the brief resolution set to be voted Monday “demands an immediate humanitarian cease-fire for the month of Ramadan,” along with “the immediate and unconditional release of all hostages.” Moreover, the resolution has also called for the need to ensure civilian protection and provide humanitarian aid for those present in the Gaza Strip. US Ambassador Linda Thomas-Greenfield, on Friday, told the Council that the resolution’s text “fails to support sensitive diplomacy in the region. Worse, it could actually give Hamas an excuse to walk away from the deal on the table.” “We should not move forward with any resolution that jeopardizes the ongoing negotiations,” Thomas-Greenfield said, adding the caution that if the diplomacy doesn’t get backing, then “we may once again find this council deadlocked.” “I truly hope that that does not come about,” Thomas-Greenfield specified.     

In the past resolutions, the US was found to be closely intertwining calls for a cease-fire with demands for setting free Israeli hostages in Gaza. 

(With insights from AP)