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The UN Security Council meets, it is expected to vote for a cease-fire in Gaza
2023-12-08 09:24:02 / BOTA
The UN Security Council will meet on Friday under pressure from Secretary-General António Guterres and vote to demand an immediate ceasefire after weeks of fighting in Gaza.
In a letter to the council on Wednesday, Guterres took the extraordinary step of invoking Article 99 of the UN charter, which says the secretary-general can bring to the council's attention "any matter which in his opinion may threaten the preservation of international peace and security."
After Guterres sent his urgent letter, the United Arab Emirates prepared a draft resolution to be voted on Friday, according to the delegation from Ecuador, which chairs the council this month and decides on planning matters. The draft resolution calls the humanitarian situation in Gaza "catastrophic".
It also calls for the protection of civilians, the immediate and unconditional release of all hostages still held by Hamas, and humanitarian access to the Gaza Strip. But the outcome of a vote is not clear - four previous drafts submitted since the outbreak of war were rejected by the security council.
The United States, Israel's most powerful ally, which vetoed one of the earlier draft resolutions and opposes the idea of a ceasefire, has said a new council resolution at this stage would not be "helpful". .
Israeli Foreign Minister Eli Cohen on Wednesday said Guterres' mandate was "a danger to world peace" after he invoked Article 99.
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