Israel-Gaza War: The Hamas group fighters from Gaza have accepted the United Nations ceasefire resolution, officials have informed. The resolution seeks to open negotiation terms between Hamas fighters and the Prime Minister of Israel Benjamin Netanyahu.Â
Senior Hamas official Sami Abu Zuhri told Reuters that the decision is now up to Joe Biden and the United States to ensure that Israel abides by the ceasefire resolution.Â
Zuhri further said that the Hamas fighters have accepted the ceasefire resolution regarding the ceasefire, withdrawal of Israeli troops and swap of hostages for detainees held by Israel.
“The US administration is facing a real test to carry out its commitments in compelling the occupation to immediately end the war in an implementation of the UN Security Council resolution,” Abu Zuhri said.
Blinken says Hamas praise of UN resolution ‘hopeful’ sign
On Tuesday, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken disclosed that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had given his assurance towards a Gaza ceasefire proposition during their encounter in Jerusalem.
“I met with Prime Minister Netanyahu last night and he reaffirmed his commitment to the proposal,” Blinken said, adding that Hamas’s welcoming of a UN vote on the US-drafted ceasefire resolution was a “hopeful” sign.
“It is hopeful sign, just as the statement issued after the president (Joe Biden) made his proposal 10 days ago was hopeful,” he said.
“But it’s not dispositive. What is dispositive – or at least what so far been dispositive in one way or another – is the word coming from Gaza and from the Hamas leadership in Gaza. And that’s what counts. And that’s what we don’t have.
“We await the answer from Hamas,” he said.
Late on Monday, Hamas said it “welcomes” the UN Security Council’s vote to adopt a resolution backing the ceasefire plan.
United Nations Security Council votes on a ceasefire proposal
The United Nations Security Council (UNSC) has adopted a resolution endorsing a US-backed ceasefire proposal that aims to end Israel’s eight-month assault on Gaza.
On Monday, the United States-sponsored resolution received a vote of 14-0, with Russia choosing to abstain.
The resolution embraces a three-part ceasefire plan unveiled by US President Joe Biden last month. This plan advocates for an initial six-week ceasefire alongside the exchange of certain Israeli captives detained in Gaza for Palestinian prisoners confined in Israeli penitentiaries.
In the subsequent phase, a lasting ceasefire would be established, and the remaining captives would be liberated. The third phase would focus on initiating a reconstruction initiative for the ravaged Gaza Strip.