The UN Security Council has welcomed the cease-fire between Israel and Gaza’s Hamas and called for full adherence to the cessation of hostilities –the ceasefire holds for third day as international actors continue mediation efforts.
Saturday’s statement was approved by all 15 members of the council. It said the council mourned the loss of civilian lives resulting from the violence and stressed the immediate need for humanitarian assistance to the Palestinian civilian population, particularly in Gaza, the besieged Palestinian territory.
On Thursday, Israel and Hamas called a truce and agreed to a ceasefire, halting 11-days of hostilities that brought about widespread destruction in Gaza and left at least 248 people dead, including 66 children and thousands –it also left thousands of families homeless, and destroyed vital infrastructure.
The two states have maintained the ceasefire so far, even as many people remained sceptical with Palestinians still under siege, and the struggle against ethnic cleansing and occupation continuing.
The latest Israeli aggression has brought various important changes in the global scenario and exposed Tel Aviv’s “nefarious designs”, Ismail Haniyeh, the head of Hamas said in a telephonic message to a huge rally in Pakistan on Monday.
“Israel wants to usurp our lands and we will never let it happen. Our brave people have defeated the occupying forces in this battle, which has exposed Israel and its nefarious ideology,” Haniyeh went on to say.
What’s next after Gaza ceasefire as the Israeli military and Hamas have warned that attacks will resume if the other side breaks the truce.
“What will it take to achieve a lasting peace between Israelis and Palestinians remains a million dollar question”, an analyst in the region says.
