The United Nations Security Council (UNSC) approved a United States-supported ceasefire resolution on Monday in a recent diplomatic effort to end Israel’s eight-month military campaign in the Gaza Strip.

The resolution, proposing a three-phase comprehensive truce, was backed by 14 members of the UNSC, with Russia abstaining.

US President Joe Biden presented the peace proposal on May 31. Prior to that, the Biden administration had faced criticism for blocking at least three UNSC resolutions aimed at ending the conflict that has resulted in over 37,000 Palestinian deaths and approximately 85,000 injuries.

Alongside providing diplomatic cover, Washington has also furnished weapons and financial aid to Israel, accused of breaching international laws.

The US had abstained from the last truce vote in March.

However, shortly after Monday’s vote, Israel conducted deadly airstrikes on the Palestinian enclave, casting doubt on whether the latest resolution will result in a permanent ceasefire. Let's delve deeper into the resolution:

What is the UNSC Gaza ceasefire resolution?

The truce is divided into three phases:

• Phase one involves six weeks of talks and the exchange of Israeli captives in Gaza for Palestinian prisoners in Israeli jails. This phase calls for an immediate, total ceasefire, allowing Palestinian civilians to return home, focusing on humanitarian aid, and ensuring Israeli forces withdraw from populated Gaza areas. If talks extend beyond six weeks, the ceasefire remains.
• Phase two aims for a permanent end to hostilities, releasing remaining captives, and achieving a complete Israeli withdrawal from Gaza.
• Phase three tackles the reconstruction of Gaza over several years and returning any deceased captives’ remains.

The resolution opposes any demographic or territorial change in Gaza, preventing any actions that reduce Palestinian land. A previous draft mentioned "buffer zones" explicitly, but this was amended. Critics fear Israel aims to expel Palestinians from Gaza, mimicking the 1940s Nakba during Israel’s creation.

What have Hamas and Israel said about the resolution?

The Palestinian faction embraced the resolution, according to senior Hamas official Sami Abu Zuhri speaking to Reuters.

“The US administration is tested to enforce its commitments, urging the occupation to end the war immediately per the UNSC resolution,” he said.

Hamas seeks a permanent end to the war, which Israel opposes, with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stating the war will end only when Hamas is defeated and all captives freed.

Israel’s UN representative, Reut Shapir Ben-Naftaly, asserted the war would continue until Hamas is “dismantled,” putting the resolution’s effectiveness in doubt.

Without solid commitments, the resolution would be challenging for Hamas, said Hasan Barari, Qatar University’s international affairs professor, in an Al Jazeera interview. “Will Israel agree to a permanent ceasefire?”

The resolution claims Israel accepted Biden’s ceasefire proposal from May 31 and urges Hamas to accept it too.

“Statements from the American administration imply the initiative originated from Israel, indicating White House-Israeli government coordination on the draft resolution,” Barari noted.

However, Israeli leaders criticized Biden’s UN-endorsed peace plan. Israeli website Ynetnews reported that the final wording does not match the agreement Israel endorsed, citing conditions on Hamas governance and operational restrictions, attributed to an anonymous senior Israeli official.

How did countries vote on the Gaza ceasefire resolution?

Fourteen out of 15 UNSC members endorsed the resolution, including all 10 non-permanent members: Algeria, Ecuador, Guyana, Japan, Malta, Mozambique, South Korea, Sierra Leone, Slovenia, and Switzerland.

The permanent members—the US, UK, Russia, China, and France—can veto any resolution. Russia facilitated the 14-0 vote by abstaining from its veto power.

Algeria’s representative stated, “Palestinian lives matter to us.”

The Swiss representative highlighted the Palestinian casualties from Israel’s recent Nuseirat attack. At least 274 Palestinians were killed in an Israeli raid on the refugee camp, aiming to free four captives.

Japan’s representative described the catastrophic humanitarian situation in Gaza.

The UK’s representative emphasized the need for escalated humanitarian aid.

Why did Russia abstain?

Russia abstained due to “lack of clarity” in the resolution wording and being excluded from crucial discussions.

Vasily Nebenzya, Russia’s UN ambassador, questioned the exact terms Israel had agreed to.

“The council should not endorse agreements with vague parameters,” he stated without further clarification.

What was China’s stand on the resolution?

China's representative acknowledged some ambiguous areas in the draft but voted in favor, expressing concern over Gaza’s civilian casualties.

China aims to guide Israel and Palestine towards resuming the two-state solution’s path.

The international community and Israel's main ally, the US, support two independent states for Palestinians and Israelis. However, ongoing Israeli settlements in Palestinian lands remain the principal peace obstacle. Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu has hindered the Oslo Accords, which called for halting illegal settlements under international laws.

How is this resolution different from previous UN resolutions on Gaza?

This resolution stipulates a “permanent ceasefire” unlike previous ones, which requested temporary pauses in fighting.

Additionally, past resolutions have not emphasized the withdrawal of Israeli forces from Gaza.

Thelast resolution, passed on March 25, was revised from “permanent” ceasefire to a more ambiguous “lasting and sustainable ceasefire” at the US’s request, indicating the term “permanent” might hinder the vote, according to Al Jazeera Arabic’s Rami Ayari on X.

The March resolution, proposed by non-permanent UNSC members, advocated for a hostilities cessation during Ramadan’s remaining two weeks when it passed with 14 votes in favor, as the US abstained.

Following the March resolution, Algeria’s ambassador declared it would end the bloodshed, yet over 5,000 Palestinians have died since then, with hundreds of homes destroyed.

Is a ‘permanent ceasefire’ possible?

The resolution calls on Israel and Hamas to take necessary actions for enacting a “permanent ceasefire.”

“The challenge is that implementing such a resolution requires agreement from both Hamas and Israel. Currently, neither seems fully committed,” Barari stated.

Hamas desires a “permanent ceasefire,” while Israel insists on Hamas’s destruction before ceasing the conflict.

“Politically, Netanyahu has outrightly refused to commit to ending the war,” said Mairav Zonszein, International Crisis Group’s senior Israeli analyst.

Facing ICC arrest warrants, international community censure, and genocide accusations, Israel's ongoing offensive in Gaza has damaged its global standing, which concerns many Israelis, explained Zonszein.

She criticized the US for not exerting enough pressure or using aid conditions to change Israel’s behavior.

“Israel’s warfare is unsustainable without US support.”