UN General Assembly Votes Overwhelmingly to Demand a Gaza Cease-Fire

Nick Wadhams, Bloomberg News

NEW YORK, NEW YORK - DECEMBER 12: The results of a draft resolution vote are seen on a screen as the UN General Assembly holds an emergency special session on the Israel-Hamas war at the United Nations headquarters on December 12, 2023 in New York City. The General Assembly resumed its 45th plenary meeting after Egypt and Mauritania invoked Resolution 377, known as "Uniting for Peace," to demand an immediate humanitarian ceasefire in the two-month-long war between Israel and Hamas after the U.S. vetoed a similar vote in the Security Council. Assembly resolutions are non-binding and could be ignored by Israel even if there is overwhelming support for a ceasefire. The death toll in Gaza has passed 18,000 from Israel's offensive after the Oct. 7 attack by Hamas that Israel says killed 1,200 people and saw 240 people taken hostage. (Photo by Michael M. Santiago/Getty Images) Photographer: Michael M. Santiago/Getty Images , Photographer: Michael M. Santiago/Getty Images

(Bloomberg) -- The United Nations General Assembly voted overwhelmingly to demand a cease-fire in the Gaza Strip, underscoring a sharp shift in sentiment that’s left Israel and the US increasingly isolated over the military campaign to destroy Hamas.

The General Assembly adopted the non-binding resolution by a vote of 153 to 10, with 23 nations abstaining. The Czech Republic and Austria were the only two European Union nations that voted against the resolution. The resolution demanded an immediate humanitarian cease-fire and an immediate release of all hostages.

Last week, the US vetoed a Security Council resolution that would have called for a cease-fire to the war, which began after Hamas fighters attacked Israel on Oct. 7, killed some 1,200 people and took 240 more hostage. Israeli forces responded with a punishing military campaign that the Hamas-run Health Ministry says has killed some 18,000 people. The US doesn’t have veto power in the larger General Assembly.

Biden Says Netanyahu Must ‘Change’ or Will Lose Global Support

In a General Assembly vote in October, 120 nations voted in favor of a resolution calling for a cease-fire between Israel and Hamas, which is designated a terrorist organization by the US and the European Union. Twelve countries joined the US and Israel in voting against it, while 45 abstained.

President Joe Biden acknowledged earlier Tuesday that world opinion was moving against Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. While Israel continues to have the backing of the US and key allies in Europe, “they’re starting to lose that support,” Biden said.

Markets

BNN

Scoreboard

BNN

LIVE:

Investing