Smoke billows during Israeli bombardment on northern Gaza on Wednesday — AFP NEW YORK, Dec 13 (Reuters/BBC/AP): The United Nations on Tuesday demanded an immediate humanitarian ceasefire in the Gaza Strip as US President Joe Biden warned Israel it was losing international support because of its "indiscriminate" bombing of civilians in its war against Hamas militants.
After dire warnings by UN officials about a deepening humanitarian crisis in Gaza, the 193-member UN General Assembly passed a resolution calling for a ceasefire with 153 countries voting in favour and 23 abstaining. The US and Israel, which argue a ceasefire only benefits Hamas, voted against the measure along with eight other countries.
The resolution is not binding but carries political weight, reflecting a global view on the war. The United States vetoed a similar call in the 15-member Security Council last week.
The Palestinian Authority welcomed the resolution and urged countries to pressure Israel to adopt the ceasefire. A Hamas official in exile, Izzat El-Reshiq, in a statement on Telegram echoed that reaction, saying Israel should "stop its aggression, genocide, and ethnic cleansing against our people."
Before the resolution passed, Biden said Israel now has support from "most of the world" including the US and European Union. "But they're starting to lose that support by indiscriminate bombing that takes place," he told a campaign donor event in Washington.
Israel's assault on Gaza to root out Hamas has killed at least 18,205 Palestinians and wounded nearly 50,000 since Oct 7, according to the Gaza health ministry.
Israel losing global
support over
Gaza bombing: Biden
US President Joe Biden has said Israel is starting to lose global support over its "indiscriminate bombing" of Gaza. His comments, made to donors at a fundraising event on Tuesday, marked his strongest criticism yet of Israel's leadership.
Mr Biden has offered unwavering public support to the country since Hamas launched its attacks on 7 October. And while he reiterated that Israel could count on US backing, he issued a direct warning to its government.
"Israel's security can rest on the United States, but right now it has more than the United States. It has the European Union, it has Europe, it has most of the world," he told donors to his 2024 re-election campaign in Washington.
"But they're starting to lose that support by indiscriminate bombing that takes place," he said. Mr Biden, however, added that there was "no question about the need to take on Hamas" and Israel had "every right" to do so.
Israel forges ahead with Gaza offensive despite US criticism
Israel forged ahead with its air and ground offensive Wednesday in Gaza, drawing international outrage and rare criticism from the United States over the killing of thousands of civilians.
The United Nations General Assembly voted overwhelmingly Tuesday to demand a humanitarian cease-fire in a strong demonstration of global support for ending the Israel-Hamas war. General Assembly resolutions are not legally binding, but the assembly's messages are important barometers of world opinion.
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