Diyar Guldogan
20 February 2024•Update: 20 February 2024
WASHINGTON
The Arab Group in New York urged the UN Security Council on Monday to take immediate action on the Gaza Strip.
"Regrettably, the UN Security Council remains inert, unable to denounce the daily atrocities perpetrated by the occupying authorities. The Security Council must take immediate action,” the group, a coalition of Arab states that promote common interests at the United Nations, said in a statement.
"It cannot turn a deaf ear to the pleas of the international community and global public opinion, all of whom demand a cease-fire. No excuse can rationalize the Security Council's inertia, and all endeavors must converge to halt the ongoing carnage in Gaza," it added.
The statement came a day before the Council's vote on a draft resolution circulated by Algeria which calls for "an immediate cease-fire for humanitarian reasons which must be respected by all parties."
The group said the draft resolution aligns with both its priorities and those of the broader international community.
"We firmly support the draft resolution presented by Algeria and strongly urge all members of the Security Council to vote in favor of it," the statement said.
Israel has launched a deadly offensive on the Gaza Strip following an attack by the Palestinian group Hamas on Oct. 7. The ensuing Israeli bombardment has killed nearly 29,092 and injured about 69,028 with mass destruction and shortages of necessities.
The Israeli war on Gaza has pushed 85% of the territory's population into internal displacement amid acute shortages of food, clean water and medicine, while 60% of the enclave's infrastructure has been damaged or destroyed, according to the UN.
Israel stands accused of genocide at the International Court of Justice. An interim ruling in January ordered Tel Aviv to stop genocidal acts and take measures to guarantee that humanitarian assistance is provided to civilians in Gaza.
