Displaced Palestinians try to get food aid from a local community kitchen amid the siege imposed by the Israeli army and the scarcity of aid in the Al-Shati camp, west of Gaza City, on Dec. 7, 2024. [Photo/Xinhua]

The UN General Assembly (UNGA) on Wednesday overwhelmingly adopted a non-binding resolution demanding an immediate, unconditional and permanent ceasefire in the Gaza Strip.

The resolution was passed with 158 votes in favor, 9 against and 13 abstentions during the UNGA's emergency special session on the Palestine question. The United States and Israel were among the countries which voted against the ceasefire resolution.

The draft, put forward by Indonesia and several other countries, also called for the immediate and unconditional release of all hostages.

With the newly adopted resolution, the UNGA demands the facilitation of full, rapid, safe and unhindered entry of humanitarian assistance, at scale and under the coordination of the United Nations, to and throughout Gaza and its delivery to all Palestinian civilians.

The assembly also adopted another resolution, calling on Israel to drop its ban on the UN agency for Palestine refugees (UNRWA) and uphold its responsibility to allow and facilitate full, rapid, safe and unhindered humanitarian assistance into and throughout the entire Gaza Strip.

The Israeli parliament adopted legislations in October, which banned UNRWA from operating in the country and the occupied Palestinian territory, including Gaza and the West Bank.

General Assembly resolutions are not binding, but carry political weight, reflecting a global view on the war.

This UN emergency special session was triggered by the recent use of a veto in the Security Council.

Last month, the United States vetoed a Security Council draft resolution that called for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza. The 15-member council voted 14-1 in favor of the resolution, and the United States used its veto as a permanent council member to block it. 

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