The Israeli government this Saturday accused UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres of siding with Hamas in its request for a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip. “Guterres’ call to side with Hamas and demand a ceasefire is a disgrace to his position,” Israeli Foreign Minister Eli Cohen wrote on social media X. The minister added that “the reference to Article 99” after it was not used for the war in Ukraine or (…) in Syria, this is another example of Guterres’ partial and unilateral position.”

“A ceasefire at this time will prevent the collapse of the terrorist organization Hamas, which commits war crimes and crimes against humanity, and will allow it to continue to govern the Gaza Strip,” he warned. Cohen expressed gratitude to the United States “for its support in continuing the fight to bring the hostages home and eliminate the terrorist organization Hamas, bringing a better future to the region.”

For his part, Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant assured on the same social network that “the truce is a reward for Hamas, saying goodbye to the hostages held in the Gaza Strip.” “Support Israel in our mission: we fight for our future and fight for a free world,” he said. Gallant also thanked the United States for its “bold leadership” in support of Israel.

Hamas in a statement condemned “Washington’s veto of the UN Security Council draft resolution demanding a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip. We consider this an immoral and inhumane position.”

Hamas’s response

The Islamist group expressed gratitude to countries advocating a cessation of hostilities, including Russia, China and the “Arab group.” Guerterres on Friday called for a de-escalation of the war between Israel and Hamas in Gaza, citing Article 99 of the United Nations Charter, which allows the Secretary-General to address the Security Council in emergency situations.

The United States vetoed the request, believing that if Israel gave up its weapons, Hamas would continue to hold hostages and retain control of the strip. The resolution was introduced by the United Arab Emirates and was supported by 97 member countries and supported by 13 Council members, with the UK abstaining.

More than two months into the war, the Security Council voted several times for other resolutions calling for an end to the conflict, with vetoes overridden by the US and Russia, and only on November 15 did it manage to agree on a call to “suspend ‘humanitarian measures’ to assist civilians in the sector Gaza.

However, the only announced seven-day truce was the result not of this resolution, but of indirect negotiations between Israel and Hamas, mediated by Qatar and the United States, on the exchange of hostages in the hands of the Islamist group for Palestinian prisoners in Israeli prisons.