UN Security Council likely to vote Wednesday on Gaza action

The ten elected members of the U.N. Security Council have asked for the 15-member body to vote on Wednesday on a draft resolution that demands “an immediate, unconditional and permanent ceasefire in Gaza respected by all parties,” said diplomats.

The draft text, seen by Reuters, also demands the release of all hostages held by Hamas and others, and the immediate lifting of all restrictions on the entry of humanitarian aid into Gaza and its safe and unhindered distribution at scale, including by the U.N. throughout the enclave.

A resolution needs nine votes in favor and no vetoes by the permanent members – the United States, Russia, China, Britain or France – to pass.

Earlier, at least 27 Palestinians were killed and dozens wounded by Israeli fire near a food distribution site in southern Gaza on Tuesday, health officials said, in a third day running of chaos and bloodshed to blight the aid operation.

The Israeli military said its forces had opened fire on a group of people they viewed as a threat after they left a designated access route near the distribution centre in Rafah and approached their positions.

It added it was still investigating what had happened.

The deaths came hours after Israel said three of its soldiers had been killed in fighting in northern Gaza, as its forces pushed ahead with a months-long offensive against Hamas that has laid much of the enclave to waste.

Reuters could not independently verify the reports in northern and southern Gaza.
An International Committee of the Red Cross spokesperson said its field hospital in Rafah had received 184 casualties, adding that 19 of those were dead upon arrival, and eight died of their wounds shortly after.

Video showed injured people, including at least one woman, being rushed to a medical centre on carts drawn by donkeys.