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When the UN security council on March 25 voted for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza, for the first time since the start of the Israel-Hamas war nearly six months ago — the US abstained— Israel was isolated on the world stage. The resolution also sought the immediate and unconditional release of all hostages. “This resolution must be implemented. Failure would be unforgivable,” UN Secretary-General António Guterres said, echoing much of the world’s view on the continuing catastrophe.
In response to the UNSC vote, made possible by the US’s decision against vetoing it, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said he would not send a delegation as planned to Washington.
Talks aimed at brokering a truce between Israel and Hamas in the Gaza Strip will resume in Cairo on March 31, Egyptian outlet Al-Qahera reported, days after Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu gave the green light for fresh negotiations.
The Hindu’s stance on the issue has remained consistent. “If Israel makes an objective assessment of the situation, it should immediately abide by the UNSC resolution and declare a ceasefire. The October 7 attack itself was a massive intelligence and security failure for which Mr. Netanyahu should take responsibility,” our latest editorial said. “Mr. Netanyahu faces two choices. He can take the message from the UNSC seriously, stop the war, allow urgent humanitarian assistance into Gaza and continue talks with Hamas through international mediators for both the release of all hostages and the withdrawal of his troops from the enclave. Or, he can continue to lead his country in the dark in a state of permanent war.”
Meanwhile, Ukraine has said it hopes that India lead the way on the peace process. “I do believe in the capacity of India to lead, it is a global leader. If India wants to lead it must [take the initiative] that others would follow,” said Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba, ahead of a bilateral meeting with External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar on Friday.
Top 5 picks this week
- How did the Baltimore bridge disaster happen? Vasudevan Mukunth explains
- Easily provoked: The Hindu’s Editorial on India’s internal affairs and foreign comments
- The politics of humanitarian aid by T.S. Tirumurti
- Read Joan Sony Cherian’s profile of Simon Harris, Ireland’s TikTok Taoiseach
- Priyali Prakash writes on Yoav Gallant, ‘Israel’s Minister of offence’
