Singapore has added its voice to 152 other nations calling for an immediate humanitarian ceasefire in the Gaza Strip, as Israel faces increasing diplomatic isolation in its war on the enclave.
Foreign Minister Vivian Balakrishnan announced on Facebook that Singapore co-sponsored a United Nations General Assembly resolution demanding a ceasefire. The resolution received support from three-quarters of the 193 member states, with only eight countries, including the United States and Israel, voting against it and 23 abstaining.
The emergency session of the UN General Assembly was convened after the US vetoed a binding Security Council resolution for a ceasefire, citing concerns that it would allow Hamas to regroup and plan further attacks.
In defense of the resolution, Balakrishnan stated that the humanitarian ceasefire, as called for in the resolution, would facilitate the urgent provision of aid. He also urged all parties to comply with their obligations under international law, particularly international humanitarian law. Balakrishnan emphasized the need to protect innocent lives while acknowledging Israel’s right to defend its citizens and territory following the Hamas-led terrorist attacks on October 7, 2023.
Singapore additionally emphasized the immediate and unconditional release of all hostages held by Hamas. While the UN General Assembly resolution holds no legal force, it signals eroding international support for Israel’s actions.
Singaporean officials, including Minister for Social and Family Development Masagos Zulkifli and former president Halimah Yacob, have also praised the resolution and called for urgent humanitarian aid to reach Gaza.
The Palestinian Authority welcomed the resolution, urging countries to pressure Israel to adopt the ceasefire. Senior Hamas official Izzat El-Reshiq echoed this sentiment, demanding that Israel halt its aggression, genocide, and ethnic cleansing against the Palestinian people.
United States President Joe Biden acknowledged that Israel still has support from most of the world, including the US and the European Union, but noted that this support was waning due to indiscriminate bombings. Biden called for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to change his hardline government and acknowledged that ultimately Israel “can’t say no” to an independent Palestinian state, contrary to the views of Israeli hardliners.
The intensification of fighting in both the northern and southern parts of Gaza has led to the worst combat losses for Israeli troops in over a month, including the death of a colonel, the highest-ranking officer killed in the ground campaign. Widespread airstrikes have further devastated Gaza, exacerbated by rainy winter weather that has worsened conditions for families sleeping in makeshift tents.
The conflict has already left the majority of Gaza’s 2.3 million population homeless, with over 18,000 deaths confirmed by Palestinian health authorities and many more feared buried in rubble or inaccessible to ambulances.
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