US pushing UN to call for immediate ceasefire

NEW YORK: The US has tabled a revised draft of a proposed UN Security Council resolution that calls for “an immediate ceasefire” of roughly six weeks.

It also calls for the “release of all hostages.”

This is the third draft of the text proposed by the US two weeks ago, calling for a temporary ceasefire in Gaza “as soon as practical.”

The revised prosal reflects comments US Vice President Kamala Harris made over the weekend

She had called for a ceasefire for at least six weeks due to “the immense scale of suffering in Gaza.”

Washington previously vetoed three draft council resolutions on the war in Gaza, two of which called for an immediate cease-fire.

More than 30,700 deaths reported by Gaza health officials

Gaza’s Hamas-run Health Ministry on Wednesday reported the deaths of 86 people over the past 24 hours.

The ministry said the death toll now stood at 30,717 dead, with 72,156 people wounded since the war between Israel and Hamas began following the October 7 terror attack.

Around half of Gaza’s 2.3 million inhabitants are children, and the UN says the majority of civilians killed have been women and children.

Hamas says it will negotiate until cease-fire agreement reached

The Palestinian group Hamas said it will continue negotiating through mediators until they reach a cease-fire agreement.

“We are showing the required flexibility in order to reach a comprehensive cessation of aggression against our people, but the occupation is still evading the entitlements of this agreement,” Hamas added.

International mediators are in the Egyptian capital, Cairo, for talks on a truce to pause fighting in Gaza before the Muslim holy month of Ramadan that begins early next week.

Israel has not sent a delegation to the talks.

US President Joe Biden has warned of a “very dangerous” situation if Israel and Hamas fail to reach a cease-fire by Ramadan.

Ramadan begins on March 10 or 11, depending on the lunar calendar.

The US president also said there was “no excuse” for Israel not to allow more aid into Gaza.

ASEAN, Australia urge ‘immediate, durable’ Gaza cease-fire

A joint statement from the ASEAN group of South East Asian countries and Australia has called for a lasting cease-fire in the Gaza Strip.

The statement described the humanitarian situation in the Palestinian territory as “dire”.

“We urge for an immediate and durable humanitarian ceasefire,” said the statement from Canberra and the grouping of more than 10 nations that include Muslim majority Indonesia and Malaysia.

“We condemn attacks against all civilians and civilian infrastructure, leading to further deterioration of the humanitarian crisis in Gaza including restricted access to food, water, and other basic needs,” ASEAN and Australia said.

“We call for rapid, safe, unimpeded and sustained humanitarian access to all those in need, including through increased capacity at border crossings, including by sea.”

The text was agreed after days of diplomatic wrangling over the content.

The statement also called for the “immediate and unconditional release of all hostages in Gaza.”