Crisis in Gaza: UN calls for ‘humanitarian truce’

Philippines abstains as General Assembly votes for resolution

UNITED NATIONS – The United Nations General Assembly on Friday overwhelmingly called for an immediate humanitarian truce between Israel and Palestinian militants Hamas and demanded aid access to the besieged Gaza Strip and protection of civilians.

The resolution drafted by Arab states is not binding but carries political weight, taking the global temperature as Israel steps up ground operations in Gaza in retaliation for the worst Hamas attack on civilians in Israel’s 75-year-old history.

It passed to a round of applause with 120 votes in favor, while 45 abstained and 14 – including Israel and the United States – voted no. Iraq later changed its vote to yes from an abstention after complaining of a technical difficulty, so the final tally was 121 votes in favor and 44 abstentions. The Philippines was among those that abstained. A two-thirds majority was needed for the resolution to pass, in which abstentions do not count. The State of Palestine, as a non-member observer, has no voting power in the UNGA.

The General Assembly voted after the Security Council failed four times in the past two weeks to take action. “It sends the message to everyone enough is enough. This war has to stop, the carnage against our people has to stop and humanitarian assistance should begin to enter the Gaza Strip,” Palestinian UN envoy Riyad Mansour told reporters.

Israel’s UN Ambassador Gilad Erdan rejected the resolution, saying the UN no longer holds any legitimacy or relevance and accused those who voted yes of preferring to support “the defense of Nazi terrorists” instead of Israel.

“This ridiculous resolution has the audacity to call for truce. The goal of this resolution truce is that Israel should cease to defend itself to Hamas, so Hamas can light us on fire,” he told the General Assembly after the vote.

A Canadian-led bid to amend the resolution to include a rejection and condemnation of the “terrorist attacks by Hamas ... and the taking of hostages” failed to get the two thirds majority needed, garnering 88 votes in favor, 55 against and 23 abstentions.

As fears grow that the conflict could spark a wider war, the assembly stressed the “importance of preventing further destabilization and escalation of violence in the region” and called on “all parties to exercise maximum restraint and upon all those with influence on them to work toward this objective.”

The General Assembly called on Israel to rescind its order for civilians in Gaza to move to the south of the enclave. Israel ordered some 1.1 million people in Gaza – almost half the population – to move south on Oct. 12.

The General Assembly also “firmly rejects any attempts at the forced transfer of the Palestinian civilian population.”

Israel has vowed to wipe out Hamas, which rules Gaza, after the militants killed 1,400 people and took hundreds of hostages in an Oct. 7 attack.

Israel has struck Gaza from the air, imposed a siege and is preparing a ground invasion. Palestinian authorities say more than 7,000 have been killed. The General Assembly called for “the immediate and unconditional release of all civilians who are being illegally held captive.” It did not name Hamas anywhere in the text.

No mention of Hamas

Explaining the country’s abstention, Philippine Ambassador and Permanent Representative to the UN Antonio Lagdameo cited the lack of mention and condemnation in the resolution of the Oct. 7 attack on Israel by Hamas militants.

Four Filipinos died in the attacks and two remain missing and are believed to have been taken hostage by the militants.

The Philippines has condemned Hamas over the incident, which it described as a terrorist attack.

Lagdameo also noted that the resolution reaffirms the Philippines’ long-standing support “for a two-state solution with a safe and independent Palestine and a secure Israel living in peace.”

“Overall, it expresses the grave concern of the international community over the situation, which the Philippines genuinely shares. We condole with all victims and their families and pray for a peaceful resolution of this conflict,” the ambassador said.

“However, as we would condemn all terrorist attacks, the resolution does not mention nor condemn the terrorist attack of 7 October by Hamas leading to the deaths of innocent civilians, including women and children, as well as some Filipinos,” he added.

He reiterated that the Philippines recognizes Israel’s right to self-defense as provided for under the UN Charter.

“Therefore, despite commendable efforts of the co-sponsors to improve the original text, for these reasons, my delegation abstained on the resolution,” he said.

Among those that abstained from the vote was Canada, which pushed for an amendment that would include a condemnation of the Hamas attacks. It failed to get enough votes to be in the final text of the resolution.

Many of those that supported the amendment abstained from the vote, including the United Kingdom, Germany, Australia, Japan, South Korea and Ukraine.

But some Western countries – notably France, Spain, New Zealand, Portugal and Switzerland – have supported the resolution.

Most Southeast Asian nations also supported the resolution, except the Philippines, which abstained, and Cambodia, which has no recorded vote in the final tally.

DFA’s explanation

In Manila, the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) said Canada’s proposal “sought to achieve more balance” and incorporate a critical element in an important UN resolution.

“We continue to support efforts of the UN, particularly the UN Security Council, the UN humanitarian system and the global community, to decisively address this crisis and put a stop to the alarming deaths and suffering in Gaza and Israel,” it added.

It stressed that the Philippines has issued several statements on the developments in Israel and Gaza that it said were “in solidarity with the global community in calling for swift action to address the scale of human suffering that is affecting populations on both sides.”

In his speech, Lagdameo maintained that the Philippines supports the efforts of the UN to deliver urgent humanitarian assistance and essential supplies to Palestinian civilians caught in the conflict.

The country also urged the UN Security Council to endorse and support coordinated efforts with UN entities for the safe evacuation and protection of migrants in conflict zones.

“We earnestly appeal to all parties involved to cooperate in safeguarding their security. With approximately 30,000 Filipino nationals in Israel and a further 130 in Gaza, their safety and well-being remain paramount to us,” Lagdameo said.

“Reaffirming our position, the Philippines firmly supports a two-state solution, consistently aligned with past international agreements and relevant UN resolutions. Both Israelis and Palestinians deserve a future where their rights, aspirations and security are recognized and upheld,” he added.

‘Utterly shameful’

The militant Bagong Alyansang Makabayan, meanwhile, described the Philippines’ abstention as “utterly shameful.”

“Neutrality in the time of genocide is unacceptable. We cannot as a country remain silent to the unfolding catastrophe. Shame on the Philippine government. No regard for human rights at home, no regard for human rights abroad,” Bayan secretary general Renato Reyes Jr. said in a post on X.

“Yes, the Philippine abstention is a ‘vote’ for the continued genocide in Gaza. There is no other way to describe it,” he added.

Reyes assailed the government’s making it a “pre-requisite” to its support for the resolution the mention and condemnation of Hamas attacks.

“So the Philippines’ condemnation of genocide is conditional, not a matter of principle? The condemnation of genocide depends on the mention of Oct. 7? It does not follow. This is echoing the Zionist line and serves the Zionist agenda,” he added.

Also on X, Gabriela Women’s partylist Rep. Arlene Brosas said the Philippines’ abstention has exposed the “subservience of the Philippine government to the interests of the United States.”

“Four overseas Filipino workers have already died due to the attack of Israel on Palestine with the support of the United States government, but Pres. Ferdinand Marcos Jr. chose to be neutral and sit back and watch as thousands of people die,” she said. — Sheila Crisostomo, Emmanuel Tupas