UN General Assembly urges Gaza ceasefire; Palestinian ambassador urges immediate aid of 'at least 100 truckloads'

At a resumed emergency session of the United Nations General Assembly, the Palestinian ambassador urged an immediate ceasefire in Gaza and pressed for large-scale humanitarian access, saying humanitarian assistance "should begin to enter the, Gaza Strip with at least 100 truckloads" and that "this war has to stop."

The ambassador praised the General Assembly for what he called "courage" and "principle," saying the body’s vote sent a message of justice and fairness and carries "moral authority." He noted the vote came amid a tense geopolitical environment and said the Assembly’s action would be taken into account in further diplomatic work.

The ambassador and another delegate pointed to the scale of support for the Assembly measure, citing "a 120 votes" figure in favor. He said the session was a step toward relieving the immediate humanitarian crisis facing the 2,300,000 Palestinians in the Gaza Strip and called forced transfer a "crime against humanity."

Addressing the next steps, the ambassador said the Palestinian delegation would continue "knocking on the door of the Security Council," work with the secretary-general and the president of the General Assembly, and press for measures that protect civilians and permit aid to reach those in need. An unidentified delegate added the Assembly’s resolution carries "incredible weight and moral authority" and said the delegation plans to pursue an "e10 proposal" in the Security Council to try to break the existing gridlock.

The speaker also thanked member states and groups that supported or abstained in ways he described as helpful; he said an amendment to the draft resolution failed and that "there were a total of 14 significant countries that voted in favor of that amendment."

The ambassador concluded by honoring journalists killed or harmed in the conflict, mentioning Shireen Abu Akleh and Wa'il Abdul, and thanked journalists for their coverage. During the session, questioner Stefan Okaara noted that bombardment had begun, saying "Israel started bombarding during the session."

The General Assembly’s declaration at the resumed emergency session called for an immediate ceasefire and scaled humanitarian assistance; the delegation said it will press the Security Council and other actors to translate the Assembly’s decision into measures on the ground.