A ceasefire in Gaza voted at the UN: Israel obliged to apply it?

Nearly six months after the start of the war between Israel and Hamas, a first resolution in favor of an “immediate ceasefire” in Gaza was adopted on Monday. As for its application, that's another kettle of fish...

Since the Hamas attack on October 7, 2023 and Israel's response, the war between the Jewish state and the Palestinian organization has been in full swing in the Gaza Strip. And this, to the detriment of the civilian population, condemned to move en masse to avoid fighting, to count their dead without always being able to bury them, to bandage their wounded with the few means at their disposal, all in a health context and deplorable humanitarian situation. And while the Gazans lack, among other things, water and famine looms, a first resolution for an "immediate ceasefire" in the Palestinian enclave was adopted by the UN Security Council this Monday March 25.

However, can we really declare victory and hope for the announcement of the end of the war by Sunday? At the risk of disappointing many, the answer is no. If the vote on this resolution is, without doubt, on the diplomatic level, a huge step forward, due to the abstention of the United States, which until now blocked the approval of such a resolution going against of the warlike ambitions of its historic ally Israel, the concrete application of this has not yet been achieved.

As recalled by La Croix, Article 25 of the United Nations Charter clearly states that UN members must “accept and implement the decisions of the Security Council.” But, "a ceasefire is not declared like that by a simple vote on a resolution. The actors on the ground must have understood its necessity", underlines to the daily the researcher associated with the Thucydides center of the University of Paris Panthéon-Assas, Alexandra Novosseloff. And added: “I don’t think the Israelis are there.” An analysis that the reaction of the Israeli Defense Minister seems to confirm. The Hebrew State "does not have the moral right to stop the war as long as there are hostages in Gaza", he reacted this Monday, Franceinfo relays. It should also be noted that, beyond the vote on a resolution, the UN has no tool in its possession to force a state that does not wish to do so to lay down its arms.