US Shares Rival UNSC Resolution for Temporary Gaza Cease-Fire

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Facts

• After vetoing an Arab-backed UN Security Council resolution demanding an immediate cease-fire in the Gaza Strip on Tuesday, the US circulated a rival resolution calling for a temporary cease-fire in Gaza 'as soon as practical,' the release of Israeli hostages, and the lifting of restrictions on aid delivery.¹
• The US' resolution also underscored that Israel should not enter Rafah — in which around half of the strip's 2.3M population are taking refuge along the border — 'under current circumstances,' citing the possibility of 'harm to civilians' and the exodus of Palestinians into 'neighboring countries.'²
• Meanwhile, Hamas political leader Ismail Haniyeh traveled to Cairo on Tuesday to meet with Egyptian officials and discuss Gaza issues. Last week, negotiations between Israel and Hamas stalled, with Hamas calling for a comprehensive cease-fire and an Israeli withdrawal from Gaza which Israel's leadership rejects.³
• Egypt has reinforced its border with Gaza, evidenced by reports that it's preparing an area to accommodate displaced Palestinians, though the government has denied making such preparations. Israeli officials have said that Palestinians will not be pushed into Egypt. Hamas also admitted 6K of its fighters have died in the war, half of Israel's estimate.⁴
• Israeli officials on Tuesday denied a report in Saudi-owned news outlet Elaph claiming that Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar fled Gaza to Egypt via tunnels running under the border, saying that Israel had no information that Sinwar left the strip. Officials also indicated that the military would renew operations in Gaza City.⁵
• Gaza's health ministry reports that the conflict has killed over 29K people in the Gaza Strip, the majority of whom were women and children. The war has also created a rapidly deteriorating humanitarian situation. The official Israeli death toll on Oct. 7 stands at around 1.2K people (and there are still over 100 hostages being held in the Gaza Strip).⁶

Sources: ¹The Hill, ²Guardian, ³Al Arabiya, ⁴Reuters.com, ⁵The Times of Israel and ⁶PBS NewsHour.

Narratives

• Pro-establishment narrative, as provided by CBS. Israel must be able to defend itself from terrorist attacks, whether from Gaza or elsewhere, and the US will always support Israel in maintaining its security. However, Netanyahu is going too far with the war in Gaza, and he must be willing to follow through on his promises and compromise as needed so that another extended truce can take effect, which will hopefully lead to a more permanent resolution to this conflict. The Biden administration is losing its patience with Netanyahu's intransigence.
• Pro-Israel narrative, as provided by Jerusalem Post. Israel will always be thankful for the US' steadfast support, but Pres. Joe Biden needs to take a step back from his criticisms of Israel's Prime Minister. Netanyahu is a complicated figure, and Biden has a re-election campaign to worry about, which has created understandable tension between the two. However, Biden must understand that he should be pressuring Hamas terrorists — who have not made a single positive step in finding a compromise — instead of Israel. Israel will pursue its goals, which are incredibly popular with its citizens, regardless of whether it annoys Washington.
• Pro-Palestine narrative, as provided by The Nation. As Israel's slaughter of Palestinians in Gaza continues unabated, the Biden administration, increasingly anxious over the upcoming election, has resorted to cheap tactics to deny its support for Israel's brutal campaign. Regardless of how the administration tries to spin it, Biden has armed Israel, given it diplomatic cover, and refused to call for a permanent cease-fire — all of which incentivizes continued bloodshed. Indeed, Israel's war on Gaza would be unsustainable without US support, and Biden should enact concrete policy to stop the violence.

Predictions