The UN Security Council passed a resolution on Wednesday calling for extended humanitarian pauses in the Gaza strip, a call that has been made repeatedly by humanitarian agencies in recent weeks.
The Malta-drafted resolution is the first from the leading UN body since the Israel-Hamas war broke out on 7 October with Hamas' surprise terrorist attack against Israel. It was approved with 12 votes in favour and three abstentions: the United States, United Kingdom and Russia. The resolution does not mention Hamas' deadly attack.
It calls for “urgent and extended humanitarian pauses and corridors throughout the Gaza Strip for a sufficient number of days to enable, consistent with international humanitarian law, the full, rapid, safe, and unhindered humanitarian access for United Nations humanitarian agencies and their implementing partners.”
There have been increasing calls for a ceasefire in recent days, including from humanitarian organisations such as the International Rescue Committee (IRC).
In an interview on Wednesday with CNN, the IRC's CEO, David Milliband, stressed the urgent need for an extended humanitarian pause.
“Many are dead already, but many more will lose their lives soon, so this is a matter of the greatest urgency,” Milliband said, noting that five days was "the absolute minimum" required to enable humanitarian organisations and their partners on the ground to deliver the aid required.
To save lives in Gaza there needs to be a "massive scale-up of the aid flow to Gaza," including food, water, medicine and other non-food items, Milliband stressed.
Listing other basic requirements, he noted that more aid workers would be needed, and the safety of civilians had to be guaranteed.
"The hostage issue, which is also a humanitarian issue, needs to be addressed," he said, adding that it was also vital for people who need treatment outside the Gaza strip to be able to get out.
