Israel defiant after UN Security Council finally calls for ceasefire, US perplexed by Netanyahu

26 Mar

Phillip de Wet

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After more than five months of war, the UN Security Council for the first time passed a resolution calling for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza. The United States, Israel's ally which vetoed previous drafts, abstained. (Angela Weiss/AFP)

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Monday said it would be "unforgivable" if a UN Security Council resolution calling for a ceasefire in Gaza was not implemented – but Israel suggested it would change nothing in its conduct of the war, and Hamas said it would only swap hostages for prisoners.

The Security Council has long struggled to find agreement, with the US vetoing three draft resolutions on Gaza, and Russia and China vetoing two by the US – the last on Friday.

But on Monday, the US abstained despite declared reservations, allowing Resolution 2728 to take on the force of international law.

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