US agrees to ceasefire language for Gaza

 USA Today:

After days of negotiations, the U.S. signaled late Thursday it was ready to support a revised United Nations Security Council resolution urging delivery of crucial humanitarian aid into the battered Gaza Strip where roughly one in four people are starving.

An earlier draft brought forward by the United Arab Emirates called for a "cessation of hostilities," later dialed back to a "suspension of hostilities." A revised version would call for “creating the conditions for a sustainable cessation of hostilities.”

A vote on the revised resolution was not expected until Friday.

Seeking to avoid another U.S. veto, the 15-member council delayed voting multiple times since Monday to negotiate the language. U.S. Ambassador Linda Thomas-Greenfield told reporters after the consultations that the United States backs the new text, and if it is put to a vote the U.S. will support it.

Earlier this month, the U.S. vetoed a Security Council resolution supported by almost all council members and many other nations that called for an immediate humanitarian cease-fire in Gaza. The General Assembly overwhelmingly approved a similar resolution on Dec. 12 in a 153-10 vote with 23 abstentions.
...

I suspect the conditions for a sustainable cessation of hostilities will probably mean the virtual destruction of Hamas leadership and fighters.  Hamas started this war with the mass murder of Israeli civilians.  It should not be surprising that Israel would want to stop that from ever happening again.  If people in Gaza are starving it is because Hamas provoked the hostilities to begin with.  Polling also showed that a majority of the Palestinians in Gaza supported the attacks on Israel.  The Palestinians should not be surprised that there are consequences for such attacks.

See also:

Gazans Are Starting to Blame Hamas for Wartime Suffering

And:

 Little food, a beating and lice: What freed Israeli hostages are saying about being held by Hamas

And:

 Israel's military campaign in Gaza seen as among the most destructive in recent history, experts say

Hamas and its supporters in Gaza are paying a price for their war crimes against Israelis. 

And:

Palestinians support Hamas decision to go to war with Israel, survey suggests, with no political solution on horizon

And:

 Watch: Israel Detonates Major Hamas Tunnel, Creating Massive Fireball in Gaza Neighborhood

The network of tunnels linked the homes of several top Hamas leaders in Gaza City, according to the Israel Defense Forces

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