United Nations, Jun 13: The General Assembly, at an Emergency Special Session, adopted a resolution that demands an immediate ceasefire in Gaza and immediate access to humanitarian assistance at scale.

The resolution, adopted on Thursday, demands "an immediate, unconditional and permanent ceasefire, to be respected by all parties."

It strongly condemns any use of starvation of civilians as a method of warfare and the unlawful denial of humanitarian access. It stresses the obligation not to deprive civilians in the Gaza Strip of objects indispensable to their survival, including by wilfully impeding relief supplies and access, Xinhua news agency reported.

The resolution stresses that an occupying power is obliged under international law to ensure that humanitarian aid reaches all the population in need.

It demands the immediate and permanent facilitation of full, rapid, safe and unhindered entry of humanitarian assistance at scale to and throughout the Gaza Strip and its delivery to all Palestinian civilians.

The resolution demands that Israel, as the occupying power, immediately end the blockade, open all border crossings and ensure that aid reaches the Palestinian civilian population throughout the Gaza Strip immediately and at scale.

It stresses the need for accountability in order to ensure Israel's respect of international law obligations, and in this regard calls on all UN member states to individually and collectively take all measures necessary to ensure compliance by Israel with its obligations.

The resolution reiterates unwavering commitment to the two-state solution, with the Gaza Strip as part of the Palestinian State, and in this regard firmly rejects attempts at demographic and territorial change in the Gaza Strip and the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, as well as all measures violating the historic status quo of the holy sites of the city.

The resolution reiterates unequivocal rejection of actions that aim at forcibly displacing the Palestinian people and at unlawfully seizing Palestinian territory and demands the immediate and complete cessation of such actions.

It demands an immediate halt to all settlement construction, expansion, land confiscation, home demolitions, forced evictions and settler violence in the West Bank, including East Jerusalem.

It calls for immediate and concrete steps to preserve the territorial integrity of the occupied Palestinian territory, including East Jerusalem, and toward unifying the Gaza Strip with the West Bank under the Palestinian Authority.

The resolution reaffirms the permanent responsibility of the United Nations with regard to the question of Palestine until it is resolved in all its aspects in accordance with international law and the relevant UN resolutions.

The resolution calls on all member states to respect the privileges and immunities of all officials of the United Nations, the specialised agencies and related organizations and to refrain from any acts that would impede such officials in the performance of their functions.

It calls on all states to respect and protect humanitarian personnel and UN and associated personnel, including national and locally recruited personnel.

It stresses the obligation to respect and protect medical personnel, as well as humanitarian personnel exclusively engaged in medical duties, their means of transport and equipment, as well as hospitals and other medical facilities, in all circumstances.

The resolution was adopted with 149 votes in favor, 12 votes against, and 19 abstentions.

Apart from Israel and the United States, the following 10 countries voted against the draft resolution: Argentina, Fiji, Hungary, Micronesia, Nauru, Palau, Papua New Guinea, Paraguay, Tonga, Tuvalu.

The Emergency Special Session on Israel's illegal actions in the occupied Palestinian territory was first convened in April 1997.

The 10th session on Thursday was resumed at the request of the Arab Group and the Organization of Islamic Cooperation Group following last week's US veto of a Security Council draft resolution that would have demanded an immediate ceasefire in Gaza and the immediate lifting of all restrictions on humanitarian aid.

(IANS)

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