Pakistan welcomes UNSC resolution demanding immediate ceasefire in Gaza

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Monday welcomed the adoption of the United Nations Security Council resolution 2728, demanding an immediate ceasefire in Gaza for the holy month of Ramadan.

In a statement, the Foreign Office Spokesperson said, “We also welcome the Security Council’s call for allowing free flow of humanitarian assistance to Gaza, lifting of all barriers to the provision of humanitarian assistance, and ensuring protection of civilians in the entire Gaza Strip.”

“Over the course of past six months, Pakistan has repeatedly expressed its strong and unequivocal condemnation of the indiscriminate use of force by Israel, calling for an immediate and unconditional ceasefire, unimpeded humanitarian assistance to the besieged people of Gaza, return of the displaced Palestinians, and ensuring accountability for the crimes being committed by Israel with impunity.”

She said, “We call for expeditious implementation of the Security Council resolution adopted today, hoping that it will serve as a first step towards ending Israel’s brutal onslaught, ensuring a permanent ceasefire, and helping address the prevailing grave humanitarian situation in Gaza.”

“Pakistan will continue to voice its support for a just, comprehensive and durable solution through the establishment of a secure, viable, contiguous and sovereign State of Palestine on the basis of the pre-June 1967 borders, with Al-Quds Al-Sharif as its capital,” the Spokesperson added.

Earlier in the day, the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) demanded an immediate ceasefire between Israel and Palestinian fighters Hamas and the immediate and unconditional release of all hostages after the United States abstained from the vote.

The remaining 14 council members voted for the resolution, which was proposed by the 10 elected members of the body.

Washington had been averse to the word ceasefire earlier in the nearly six-month-old war in the Gaza Strip and had used its veto power to shield U.S. ally Israel as it retaliated against Hamas for an Oct. 7 attack that Israel says killed 1,200 people.

But amid growing global pressure for a truce in the war that has killed more than 32,000 Palestinians, the U.S. abstained from the vote on Monday to allow the Security Council to demand an immediate ceasefire for the month of Muslim fasting month of Ramadan, which ends in two weeks.

It also demands the immediate and unconditional release of all hostages. Israel says Hamas took 253 hostages during its Oct. 7 attack.