Biden had previously told reporters that he had a long “private conversation” with Netanyahu. When asked, the US President said he had not called on the Israeli head of government for a ceasefire.
In a resolution on the Gaza war on Friday, the UN Security Council called for the “safe and unhindered delivery of humanitarian aid on a large scale”. A direct call for a ceasefire is missing from the text, which had been intensively negotiated for days. Rather, the resolution simply states that the conditions must be created “as a matter of urgency” that will enable “a sustainable cessation of hostilities.”
13 of the 15 member states of the most powerful UN body voted for the resolution. The veto states USA – an important ally of Israel – and Russia abstained. Israel continued its massive attacks on targets in the Gaza Strip even after the UN Security Council resolution.
The war was triggered by Hamas’ major attack on Israel on October 7th. Hundreds of fighters from Hamas, which is classified as a terrorist organization by the EU and the USA, had invaded Israeli towns and committed atrocities against civilians there. According to Israeli information, around 1,140 people were killed and around 250 people were taken hostage in the Gaza Strip.
Since then, Israel has been carrying out massive attacks in the Palestinian territory – with the stated aim of destroying Hamas. According to the Hamas-controlled Ministry of Health, which cannot be independently verified, more than 20,250 people have been killed so far
