UNITED NATIONS: The United Arab Emirates, the only Arab country on the 15-strong Security Council, tabled a resolution on Thursday demanding an “immediate humanitarian ceasefire” in Gaza Strip.

And at a joint media stakeout Arab and OIC Groups at the UN backed the call for an immediate ceasefire.

“We sincerely hope that the Security Council will adopt the resolution and will listen to brave, courageous and principled position of the Secretary General,” they said in a joint statement.

Another statement by Pakistan’s permanent mission at the UN said: “Pakistan has joined the Arab Group and the OIC Group to press the UN Security Council to adopt the UAE’s draft resolution that calls for an immediate humanitarian ceasefire in Gaza.”

Meanwhile, the UN Security Council is expected to meet on Friday to discuss an ‘apocalyptic’ situation in Gaza after the UN chief urged it to act immediately to prevent “a humanitarian catastrophe” in the enclave.

The urgency of this meeting stems from the alarming developments in the region over the past two months, marked by a surge in violence and a devastating toll on civilian lives.

On Wednesday, UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres took the unprecedented step of invoking Article 99 of the UN charter to urge the 15-member council to “unite in a call for a full humanitarian ceasefire.”

Security Council is likely to take up today the UN chief’s appeal for immediate action to prevent a humanitarian catastrophe

The rare move followed the council’s failure to call for a ceasefire in this rapidly escalating situation and marked the first use of this emergency power by the current UN chief since assuming office in 2017.

Article 99 allows the secretary general to “bring to the attention of the Security Council any matter that, in his opinion, may threaten the maintenance of international peace and security.”

Published in Dawn, December 8th, 2023