Diplomats said that the UN Security Council will vote later today, Wednesday, on two draft resolutions from the United States and Russia regarding humanitarian aid to civilians in the Gaza Strip. While the American draft resolution calls for temporary periods during which a ceasefire will be established in order to allow aid to enter the Gaza Strip, Russia wants a humanitarian ceasefire. The 15-member council is scheduled to vote at 19:00 GMT.

At least 9 votes must be approved, and no veto power may be used by the United States, France, Britain, Russia, or China, in order for a decision to be issued by the Council. It is not clear to what extent either draft of the proposals enjoys the minimum required support, which raises questions about the possibilities of Russia and the United States using it. Veto power.

This vote comes after the failure of two votes in the Council last week. Only 5 members voted in favor of a Russian draft resolution on October 16, and then the United States vetoed a Brazilian draft resolution on October 18 that received 12 supportive votes. Last Saturday, the United States presented a draft proposal that initially shocked some diplomats with its frankness in saying that Israel has the right to defend itself and to demand that Iran stop exporting weapons to its allied armed groups.

The United States subsequently moderated the overall tone of the draft, eliminating direct references to Iran and Israel’s right to self-defense. But Russia said - yesterday, Tuesday - that it could not support the American action plan and put forward its own draft resolution. In a position similar to the American position, a spokesman for the President of the United States said: British Minister Rishi Sunak said that his country may discuss reaching a humanitarian truce in the Gaza Strip to facilitate the arrival of aid, but it does not want a comprehensive ceasefire, because it will only serve the interests of the Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas).

The spokesman continued, saying, “Periods of humanitarian truce, which are temporary and limited in scope, can be an operational tool, and it is clear that it is something that we can and have been discussing.” Israel rejects both the Russian and American proposals, and considers that “Hamas will exploit” the opportunity for humanitarian aid to enter the Gaza Strip and “Post new threats to Israeli civilians.”

Yesterday, Tuesday, the foreign ministers of Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Algeria, and Jordan called on the Council to take serious action to establish an immediate ceasefire in the Gaza Strip.

The United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA) warned that it would stop its operations in Gaza today due to a fuel shortage, while the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs said that more than a third of hospitals in Gaza and about two-thirds of primary health care clinics closed their doors due to damage or lack of fuel. Fuel.

Source: Al Jazeera