As the death toll in Gaza surpasses 29,000, according to the Gaza Health Ministry, the United States has drafted a resolution in support of a temporary cease-fire that would call for an immediate release of all remaining hostages taken from Israel since the attacks on Oct. 7, and to cut all restrictions on humanitarian aid into Gaza from Israel.
Following the rejection of an Arab-backed Algerian resolution draft by the U.S., this resolution proposed on Feb. 19 suggests that Israel’s major ground offensive planned to enter the city of Rafah in southern Gaza should not proceed, as over a million Palestinian citizens have fled there for safety.
The draft states it “would help to create the conditions for a sustainable cessation of hostilities.” The Arab-backed draft that the U.S. rejected was voted on by the United Nations Security Council on Tuesday, Feb. 20, representing 22 Arab nations. The resolution failed due to the U.K. abstaining from a vote and the U.S. voting against it.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has stated that the Israeli military will continue offensive measures until they reach “total victory” against Hamas after the Oct. 7 attacks. The Israeli military says they have killed over 10,000 Hamas militants but have provided minimal withstanding evidence for this number.
The war has also brought almost daily reciprocations of fire between Lebanon’s Hezbollah Militant group and the Israeli military. A member of Netanyahu’s war cabinet, Benny Gantz, warned Hamas that the Israeli military would expand into Rafah if every hostage is not freed by the beginning of March, which also marks the start of the Muslim holy month, Ramadan.
President Biden stated that Israel is willing to halt the war during Ramadan if Hamas agrees upon a deal to release hostages.
The Israeli government has stated that it is planning to evacuate Palestinian civilians from Rafah. Still, it is unclear where they would evacuate to as large land areas of the territory have been devastated.
Egypt has warned the public that any mass evacuation of Palestinians into the country could threaten its peace treaty with Israel and has sealed its border with Gaza.
A Hamas official, Khalil al-Haya, restated the military’s demands for the release of the hostages.
He stated the demand for an end to Israel’s military opposition, a withdrawal of Isreali soldiers from Gaza, the immediate release of Palestinian prisoners, which includes top Hamas militants, and that regional security depends on a foundation of a fully sovereign Palestinian state, but did not explain what that would look like geographically.
Loyola University New Orleans has not made any pervasive statements regarding the conflict since Jan. 16th, despite numerous peaceful pro-Palestine and pro-Israel events planned on and around campus, causing students to speak their concerns about Loyola’s beliefs.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
