The United Nations Security Council adopted a resolution calling for an urgent truce between Israel and Palestinian terrorists Hamas after the United States refrained from voting, causing a rift with its ally Israel.
The remaining 14 council members voted in favor of the resolution, which was submitted by the body's ten elected members and called for the immediate and unconditional release of all captives. There was cheering in the council chamber following the vote.
"This resolution needs to be executed. Failure would be unacceptable," United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said on social media.
Did you read this?
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the United States' refusal to reject the resolution was a "clear retreat" from its prior position, harming Israel's military operations and drive to free more than 130 hostages being held by Hamas.
"Our vote does not, and I repeat that, do not represent a shift in our policy," White House spokesman John Kirby told reporters. "Nothing has changed about our policy. Nothing."
Following the U.N. resolution, Netanyahu canceled a high-level delegation's travel to Washington to discuss a planned Israeli military assault in Rafah, the southern Gaza city where around 1.5 million Palestinians have taken refuge.
Hamas praised the Security Council decision, stating it "affirms readiness to engage in immediate prisoner swaps on both sides."
Najib Mikati, Lebanon's interim prime minister, has suggested that countries should put pressure on Israel to cease invading Lebanon. The Israeli military and the Lebanese militant organization Hezbollah have exchanged fire over the southern Lebanese border. Hezbollah did not immediately respond to the U.N. decision.
