United Nations General Assembly Resolution ES-10/22

United Nations General Assembly Resolution ES-10/22 is a resolution of the tenth emergency special session of the United Nations General Assembly calling for an immediate ceasefire in the Israel–Hamas war, "immediate and unconditional" hostage release, "ensuring humanitarian access" and that "all parties comply with their obligations under international law".

UN General Assembly Resolution ES-10/22
In favour   Against   Abstentions   Absent   Non member
Date	12 December 2023
Meeting no.	10th Emergency Special Session (continuation)
Code	A/ES-10/22 (Document)
Subject	Protection of civilians and upholding legal and humanitarian obligations.
Voting summary	153 voted for 10 voted against 23 abstained
Result	Adopted

Procedures and background

On 27 October 2023, the General Assembly passed resolution ES-10/21 calling for a humanitarian truce with a 121 votes for, 14 against and 44 abstentions.^[1]

ES-10/22 followed a similar motion calling for an immediate ceasefire and release of hostages in the UN Security Council (UNSC) proposed by the UAE. The resolution received 13 votes for and 1 abstention with the US vetoing it.^[2]

The resolution proposed by Egypt received an amendment by Austria, which inserted the phrase "held by Hamas and other groups," in relation to the hostages held by Hamas and other groups in Gaza, and inserting the word “immediate" when referring to ensuring that humanitarian access be maintained,^[3] which did not gain the two-thirds majority required, with 89 votes for, 61 against and 21 abstentions, so was not adopted.^[4] An amendment from the United States of America, calling for wording rejecting and condemning "heinous terrorist attacks by Hamas that took place in Israel starting 7 October 2023 and the taking of hostages" in resolution's first paragraph, garnered 84 votes for, 62 against and 25 abstentions so did not reach the two-thirds threshold to be carried.^[3]

Voting record

In favour (153) States sponsoring (marked †)[5]	Abstaining (23)	Against (10)	Absent (7)
Afghanistan†  Albania  Algeria†  Andorra  Angola†  Antigua and Barbuda†  Armenia  Australia  Azerbaijan†  Bahamas†  Bahrain†  Bangladesh†  Barbados†  Belarus†  Belgium†  Belize†  Benin†  Bhutan  Bolivia†  Bosnia and Herzegovina†  Botswana†  Brazil†  Brunei†  Burundi  Cambodia†  Canada  Central African Republic†  Chad†  Chile†  China†  Colombia†  Comoros†  Congo†  Costa Rica†  Côte d'Ivoire  Croatia  Cuba†  Cyprus  Democratic Republic of the Congo  Denmark  Djibouti†  Dominica†  Dominican Republic  Ecuador  Egypt†  El Salvador†  Eritrea†  Estonia  Ethiopia†  Fiji†  Finland†  France  Gabon  Gambia†  Ghana  Greece  Grenada†  Guinea  Guinea Bissau†  Guyana†  Honduras†  Iceland†  India  Indonesia†  Iran  Iraq†  Ireland†  Jamaica†  Japan  Jordan†  Kazakhstan  Kenya†  Kuwait†  Kyrgyzstan†  Laos†  Latvia  Lebanon†  Lesotho†  Libya†  Liechtenstein  Luxembourg†  Madagascar  Malaysia†  Maldives†  Mali  Malta†  Mauritania†  Mauritius  Mexico†  Monaco  Mongolia  Montenegro  Morocco†  Mozambique†  Myanmar†  Namibia†    Nepal  New Zealand  Nicaragua†  Niger  Nigeria†  North Korea†  North Macedonia  Norway†  Oman†  Pakistan  Peru†  Philippines†  Poland  Portugal†  Qatar†  Moldova  Russia†  Rwanda  Saint Kitts and Nevis†  Saint Lucia†  Saint Vincent and the Grenadines†  Samoa  San Marino†  Saudi Arabia†  Senegal†  Serbia  Seychelles  Sierra Leone  Singapore†  Slovenia†  Solomon Islands  Somalia†  South Africa†  South Korea  Spain†  Sri Lanka†  Sudan†  Suriname†  Sweden   Switzerland  Syria  Tajikistan†  Tanzania  Thailand†  Timor-Leste†  Trinidad and Tobago†  Tunisia†  Tuvalu  Turkey†  Uganda†  United Arab Emirates†  Uzbekistan†  Vanuatu  Vietnam†  Yemen†  Zambia†  Zimbabwe†	Argentina  Bulgaria  Cabo Verde  Cameroon  Equatorial Guinea  Georgia  Germany  Hungary  Italy  Lithuania  Malawi  Marshall Islands  Netherlands  Palau  Panama  Romania  Slovakia  South Sudan  Togo  Tonga  Ukraine  United Kingdom  Uruguay	Austria  Czech Republic  Guatemala  Israel  Liberia  Micronesia  Nauru  Papua New Guinea  Paraguay  United States	Burkina Faso  Eswatini  Haiti  Kiribati  São Tomé and Príncipe  Turkmenistan†  Venezuela†[a]
Observer States:  Holy See and  State of Palestine†

This is mocked voting on ES-10/21 on December 8, 2023, during the 2023 Israel-Hamas War into the ceasefire and humanitarian obligations

In favour (120)	Abstaining (38)	Against (10)	Absent (25)
Afghanistan  Algeria  Andorra  Angola  Antigua and Barbuda  Armenia  Azerbaijan  Bahamas  Bahrain  Bangladesh  Barbados  Belarus  Belize  Bhutan  Bolivia  Bosnia and Herzegovina  Botswana  Brazil  Brunei  Chad  Chile  China  Colombia  Comoros  Congo  Costa Rica  Côte d'Ivoire  Cuba  Denmark  Djibouti  Dominican Republic  Ecuador  Egypt  El Salvador  Eritrea  Estonia  Fiji  Finland  France  Greece  Guinea  Guyana  Honduras  Iceland  India  Indonesia  Iran  Iraq  Ireland  Japan  Jordan  Kazakhstan  Kenya  Kuwait  Kyrgyzstan  Laos  Lebanon  Lesotho  Libya  Liechtenstein  Luxembourg  Malaysia  Maldives  Mali  Malta  Mauritania  Monaco  Mongolia  Montenegro  Morocco  Mozambique  Myanmar  Namibia    Nepal  New Zealand  Niger  Nigeria  North Korea  Oman  Pakistan  Peru  Philippines  Poland  Portugal  Qatar  South Korea  Moldova  Russia  Saint Lucia  Saint Vincent and the Grenadines  San Marino  Saudi Arabia  Senegal  Serbia  Sierra Leone  Singapore  Slovenia  South Africa  Spain  Sri Lanka  Sudan  Suriname   Switzerland  Syria  Tajikistan  Tanzania  Thailand  Timor-Leste  Trinidad and Tobago  Tunisia  Tuvalu  Turkey  Uganda  United Arab Emirates  Uzbekistan  Viet Nam  Yemen  Zimbabwe	Albania  Argentina  Australia  Belgium  Bulgaria  Cabo Verde  Cameroon  Croatia  Cyprus  Equatorial Guinea  Ethiopia  Georgia  Germany  Ghana  Hungary  Italy  Latvia  Lithuania  Malawi  Marshall Islands  Mexico  Netherlands  North Macedonia  Norway  Panama  Paraguay  Romania  Rwanda  Slovakia  South Sudan  Sweden  Tonga  Ukraine  United Kingdom  Uruguay  Vanuatu  Zambia	Austria  Canada  Czechia  Guatemala  Israel  Liberia  Micronesia  Nauru  Papua New Guinea  United States	Benin  Burkina Faso  Burundi  Cambodia  Central African Republic  Democratic Republic of the Congo  Dominica  Eswatini  Gabon  Gambia  Grenada  Guinea-Bissau  Haiti  Jamaica  Kiribati  Madagascar  Saint Kitts and Nevis  Sao Tome and Principe  Seychelles  Solomon Islands  Somalia  Togo  Turkmenistan  Venezuela[a]
Observer States:  Holy See and  State of Palestine

Draft amendment

[A] Voting on 89 favour, 61 against, 20 abstained and 23 absent

In favour (89)	Against (61)	Abstained (20)	Absent (23)
Albania  Andorra  Argentina  Armenia  Australia  Austria  Barbados  Belgium  Bosnia and Herzegovina  Bulgaria  Cabo Verde  Cambodia  Canada  Chile  Colombia  Costa Rica  Croatia  Cyprus  Czechia  Denmark  Ecuador  Estonia  Ethiopia  Fiji  Finland  France  Georgia  Germany  Ghana  Greece  Guatemala  Honduras  Hungary  Iceland  India  Ireland  Israel  Italy  Japan  Kenya  Latvia  Liberia  Liechtenstein  Lithuania  Luxembourg  Malawi  Malta  Marshall Islands  Mexico  Micronesia  Monaco  Montenegro  Myanmar  Nauru    Nepal  Netherlands  New Zealand  North Macedonia  Norway  Palau  Papua New Guinea  Paraguay  Peru  Philippines  Poland  Portugal  Moldova  Romania  Rwanda  Samoa  San Marino  Serbia  Seychelles  Singapore  Slovakia  Slovenia  Solomon Islands  South Korea  South Sudan  Spain  Sweden   Switzerland  Timor-Leste  Tonga  Tuvalu  Ukraine  United Kingdom  United States  Uruguay	Afghanistan  Algeria  Bahrain  Bangladesh  Belarus  Belize  Benin  Bolivia  Brunei  Burundi  Chad  China  Comoros  Congo  Cuba  Djibouti  Dominica  Egypt  El Salvador  Eritrea  Gambia  Guyana  Indonesia  Iran  Iraq  Jordan  Kuwait  Kyrgyzstan  Lebanon  Libya  Malaysia  Maldives  Mali  Mauritania  Morocco  Namibia  Nicaragua  Nigeria  North Korea  Oman  Pakistan  Qatar  Russia  Saint Lucia  Saint Vincent and the Grenadines  Saudi Arabia  Senegal  Somalia  South Africa  Sri Lanka  Sudan  Syria  Tajikistan  Tanzania  Trinidad and Tobago  Tunisia  Turkey  Uganda  United Arab Emirates  Yemen  Zimbabwe	Angola  Antigua and Barbuda  Bahamas  Bhutan  Botswana  Brazil  Côte d'Ivoire  Dominican Republic  Guinea  Guinea-Bissau  Jamaica  Laos  Lesotho  Mongolia  Mozambique  Panama  Suriname  Thailand  Togo  Vanuatu	Azerbaijan  Burkina Faso  Cameroon  Central African Republic  Democratic Republic of the Congo  Equatorial Guinea  Swaziland  Gabon  Grenada  Haiti  Kazakhstan  Kiribati  Madagascar  Mauritius  Niger  Saint Kitts and Nevis  São Tomé and Príncipe  Sierra Leone  Turkmenistan  Uzbekistan  Venezuela[a]  Viet Nam  Zambia
Observer States:  Holy See and  State of Palestine

[B] Voting on 84 favour, 62 against, 25 abstained and 22 absent

In favour (84)	Against (62)	Abstained (25)	Absent (22)
Albania  Andorra  Argentina  Armenia  Australia  Austria  Barbados  Belgium  Bosnia and Herzegovina  Bulgaria  Cabo Verde  Canada  Chile  Costa Rica  Croatia  Cyprus  Czechia  Denmark  Ecuador  Estonia  Fiji  Finland  France  Georgia  Germany  Ghana  Greece  Guatemala  Honduras  Hungary  Iceland  India  Ireland  Israel  Italy  Japan  Kenya  Latvia  Liberia  Liechtenstein  Lithuania  Luxembourg  Malawi  Malta  Marshall Islands  Micronesia  Monaco  Montenegro  Myanmar  Nauru    Nepal  Netherlands  New Zealand  North Macedonia  Norway  Palau  Papua New Guinea  Paraguay  Peru  Philippines  Poland  Portugal  Republic of Moldova  Romania  Samoa  San Marino  Serbia  Seychelles  Singapore  Slovakia  Slovenia  Solomon Islands  South Korea  South Sudan  Spain  Sweden   Switzerland  Timor-Leste  Tonga  Tuvalu  Ukraine  United Kingdom  United States  Uruguay	Afghanistan  Algeria  Bahrain  Bangladesh  Belarus  Belize  Benin  Bolivia  Brunei  Burundi  Central African Republic  Chad  China  Comoros  Congo  Cuba  Djibouti  Dominica  Egypt  El Salvador  Eritrea  Gambia  Guyana  Indonesia  Iran  Iraq  Jordan  Kuwait  Kyrgyzstan  Lebanon  Libya  Malaysia  Maldives  Mali  Mauritania  Morocco  Namibia  Nicaragua  Nigeria  North Korea  Oman  Pakistan  Qatar  Russia  Saint Lucia  Saint Vincent and the Grenadines  Saudi Arabia  Senegal  Somalia  South Africa  Sri Lanka  Sudan  Syria  Tajikistan  Tanzania  Trinidad and Tobago  Tunisia  Turkey  Uganda  United Arab Emirates  Yemen  Zimbabwe	Angola  Antigua and Barbuda  Bahamas  Bhutan  Botswana  Brazil  Cambodia  Colombia  Côte d'Ivoire  Dominican Republic  Ethiopia  Grenada  Guinea  Guinea-Bissau  Jamaica  Laos  Lesotho  Mexico  Mongolia  Mozambique  Panama  Suriname  Thailand  Togo  Vanuatu	Azerbaijan  Burkina Faso  Cameroon  Democratic Republic of the Congo  Equatorial Guinea  Swaziland  Gabon  Haiti  Kazakhstan  Kiribati  Madagascar  Mauritius  Niger  Rwanda  Saint Kitts and Nevis  São Tomé and Príncipe  Sierra Leone  Turkmenistan  Uzbekistan  Venezuela[a]  Viet Nam  Zambia
Observer States:  Holy See and  State of Palestine

Response

On December 13, Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong said that Australia supported the resolution out of concern for civilians in Gaza Strip, adding that "Australia has consistently affirmed Israel's right to defend itself...in doing so, we have said as Israel must respect international humanitarian law, civilians and civilian infrastructure, including hospitals." Reuters described this as it as "a rare split with...the United States" and noted that Canada, Australia and New Zealand released a joint statement on December 12 supporting the ceasefire.^[7][8] Riyad Mansour, the Palestinian Ambassador to the United Nations, described the vote as "historic" and said the resolution demands an end to the conflict, and said "we will not rest until we see compliance of Israel with this demand." The Israeli Permanent Representative to the United Nations, Gilad Erdan argued that the resolution was "disgraceful" attempt to restrain Israel, and claimed that "continuing Israel's operation in Gaza is the only way any hostages will be released."^[9][10] He also claimed that supporting the resolution gave terrorists "a free pass," declared that "a ceasefire will prolong the death and destruction in the region" and said the resolution was "hypocritical".^[11][10]

Mathu Joyini, South Africa's UN representative, invoked South Africa's painful experience with apartheid and said that countries need to take action "in accordance with international law" and called the resolution "an opportunity...to illustrate that the [UN]...is not tone-deaf to the suffering of the most vulnerable." Munir Akram, the Pakistani permanent representative to the U.N., denounced the amendments proposed by the US and Austria as "condemn[ing] only one side but exonerate the other" and arguing that blame "has to be placed on both parties, especially on Israel," and noted that if Hamas was named, but not Israel, it "provide[s] a justification to the Israeli war machine to continue its roulette wheel of death."^[11][9] Linda Thomas-Greenfield, the US ambassador to the UN, stated that the US saw the humanitarian situation in Gaza as "dire" and that "civilians must be protected with international humanitarian law," she urged nations to support an amendment condemning Hamas, and said that a "ceasefire...would be temporary at best, and dangerous at worst...to Israelis...and...Palestinians." Izzat Al-Rishq, member of the Hamas Political Bureau welcomed the resolution and condemned what he described as a "war of genocide and ethnic cleansing" against Palestinians.^[9]

Abdulaziz Alwasil, the Saudi ambassador to the UN, supported the resolution, saying Saudi Arabia was voting in favor to end "the suffering caused by an inhumane military attack by the Israeli occupation forces," called for an immediate ceasefire to end the conflict, and the need for "a comprehensive and just solution for the Palestinian question" aligned with the Arab Peace Initiative, the two-state solution, and establishment of "a Palestinian state with Jerusalem as its capital."^[11] The Chinese Permanent Representative to the United Nations, Zhang Jun stated that the events in Gaza "is a tragedy, and we must do more."^[8] In a press release on December 12, Council on American–Islamic Relations National Executive Director Nihad Awad expressed support for the resolution and called on the US government to "change course" and for countries across the world to "pressure the Israeli government to end its campaign of terror in Gaza."^[12] In a statement to reporters supporting Canada's vote in favor of the resolution, Foreign Affairs Minister Mélanie Joly said "from the very beginning we have said that Israel has the right to defend itself. How Israel defends itself matters...What is unfolding before our eyes will only enhance the cycle of violence. This will not lead to the durable defeat of Hamas." The Canadian Ambassador to the UN, Bob Rae told CBC that the "status quo" of the fighting is not sustainable "from a humanitarian perspective" while Liberal Party parliament members Anthony Housefather and Marco Mendicino disagreed with Canada's UN vote.^[13]

See also

• United Nations General Assembly Resolution ES-10/21
• United Nations General Assembly Resolution ES-10/23
• United Nations Security Council Resolution 2712

Notes

1. Venezuela was suspended from voting in the 76th session and the 11th emergency special session owing to its failure to pay dues in the previous two years, for which it did not receive a special waiver from the Assembly.^[6]

References

1. "General Assembly Adopts Resolution Calling for Immediate, Sustained Humanitarian Truce Leading to Cessation of Hostilities between Israel, Hamas". UN Press. United Nations. Archived from the original on November 12, 2023. Retrieved December 13, 2023.
2. Nichols, Michelle (8 December 2023). "US blocks UN Security Council demand for humanitarian ceasefire in Gaza". Reuters. Archived from the original on December 10, 2023. Retrieved December 13, 2023.
3. "UN General Assembly votes by large majority for immediate humanitarian ceasefire during emergency session". UN News. United Nations. December 12, 2023. Archived from the original on December 13, 2023. Retrieved December 13, 2023.
4. Masih, Niha (13 December 2023). "U.N. resolution on Gaza cease-fire: Which countries voted for and against it". The Washington Post. Archived from the original on December 13, 2023. Retrieved December 13, 2023.
5. Algeria; Bahrain; Comoros; Djibouti; Egypt; Iraq; Jordan; Kuwait; Lebanon; Libya; Mauritania; Morocco; Oman; Qatar; Arabia, Saudi (2023-12-10). "Protection of civilians and upholding legal and humanitarian obligations :: draft resolution /: Algeria, Bahrain, Comoros, Djibouti, Egypt, Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Libya, Mauritania, Morocco, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Somalia, Sudan, Tunisia, United Arab Emirates, Yemen and State of Palestine". United Nations Digital Library.
6. Guterres, António (27 February 2022). "Letter dated 27 February 2022 from the Secretary-General addressed to the President of the General Assembly". Archived from the original on 6 March 2022. Retrieved 12 October 2022.
7. Pal, Alasdair (December 13, 2023). "Australia backs UN resolution for Gaza ceasefire in rare split with US". Reuters. Archived from the original on December 13, 2023. Retrieved December 13, 2023.
8. "UN adopts resolution for immediate humanitarian ceasefire in Gaza". Palestinian Information Center. December 13, 2023. Archived from the original on December 13, 2023. Retrieved December 13, 2023.
9. Hu, Caitlin (December 12, 2023). "UN General Assembly votes to demand immediate ceasefire in Gaza". CNN. Archived from the original on December 13, 2023. Retrieved December 13, 2023.
10. "UN General Assembly overwhelmingly demands Gaza ceasefire". The New Arab. December 13, 2023. Archived from the original on December 13, 2023. Retrieved December 13, 2023.
11. Kossaify, Ephrem (December 13, 2023). "Overwhelming majority of 153 UN member states call for immediate ceasefire in Gaza". Arab News. Archived from the original on December 13, 2023. Retrieved December 13, 2023.
12. "CAIR Supports UN General Assembly Resolution Demanding Immediate Ceasefire In Gaza". Black Star News. December 13, 2023. Archived from the original on December 13, 2023. Retrieved December 13, 2023.
13. Woods, Michael; Major, Darren (December 13, 2023). "Canada supports UN resolution calling for ceasefire in Israel-Hamas war". CBC News. Archived from the original on December 12, 2023. Retrieved December 13, 2023.