The United States has circulated a possible UN Security Council resolution in support of a temporary ceasefire in Gaza.
In the draft resolution, the US says there should be a temporary ceasefire “as soon as possible”, although no date was given.
Washington is averse to the word ceasefire in any UN action against the war between Israel and Hamas.
The US draft text reflects language that President Joe Biden said he used in conversations with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu last week.
It was not immediately clear when or if the draft resolution would be put to a vote in the 15-member council.
The US put forward the draft resolution as an alternative after Algeria asked the council to vote on its draft resolution on Tuesday.
Algeria’s proposal would require an immediate humanitarian ceasefire.
US President Joe Biden speaks to members of the press after a weekend in Delaware, on the South Lawn of the White House in Washington, US, February 19, 2024
Linda Thomas-Greenfield, the American ambassador to the UN, quickly indicated that America would veto this.
The US draft resolution also calls for the release of all hostages taken from Israel during Hamas’ terrorist atrocity on October 7.
It also calls for the lifting of all restrictions on the delivery of humanitarian aid.
The draft says these actions would “help create the conditions for a lasting cessation of hostilities,” as called for in a resolution adopted by the Security Council on December 22.
The proposed resolution states that Israel’s planned major ground offensive against the city of Rafah in southern Gaza, where some 1.5 million Palestinians have sought safety, “must not proceed under the current circumstances.”
And it warns that further displacement of civilians, “including possibly to neighboring countries” such as Egypt, would have serious consequences for regional peace and security.
Thomas-Greenfield said on Sunday that the US has been working for months on a hostage deal that would bring at least six weeks of calm.
She said: “We can then take the time and steps to build a more lasting peace.”
The ambassador said Biden has had multiple calls with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and the leaders of Egypt and Qatar over the past week to move the deal forward.
She said this is the best way to achieve a prolonged pause in the fighting so that aid can reach Palestinian civilians.
On Monday, U.S. Deputy Ambassador Robert Wood said the Algerian draft resolution is not an “effective mechanism to try to do the three things we want to see happen — namely, the freeing of hostages, more aid and a long-term pause in this conflict.” .”
He said the US design is “another possible option”, although he suggested nothing would happen in the short term.