Security Council resolution 2712 (2023) [on humanitarian pauses in Gaza and immediate release of hostages]
Symbol: S/RES/2712 (2023)
Date: 2023-11-15
Status: adopted
Agenda: S/78 [54] MIDDLE EAST SITUATION
S/78 [50] PALESTINE QUESTION
S/78 [53] TERRITORIES OCCUPIED BY ISRAEL
S/ X The situation in the Middle East, including the Palestinian question.
Subjects: Hamas|HUMANITARIAN ASSISTANCE|INTERNATIONAL HUMANITARIAN LAW|HOSTAGES|ARMED CONFLICTS|CIVILIAN PERSONS|ISRAEL|MIDDLE EAST SITUATION|PALESTINE QUESTION|HUMAN RIGHTS IN ARMED CONFLICTS|GAZA STRIP
Votes in favour: 12
Votes against: 0
Abstentions: 3
Voting record:
country: ALBANIA
vote: yes
country: BRAZIL
vote: yes
country: CHINA
vote: yes
country: ECUADOR
vote: yes
country: FRANCE
vote: yes
country: GABON
vote: yes
country: GHANA
vote: yes
country: JAPAN
vote: yes
country: MALTA
vote: yes
country: MOZAMBIQUE
vote: yes
country: RUSSIAN FEDERATION
vote: abstention
country: SWITZERLAND
vote: yes
country: UNITED ARAB EMIRATES
vote: yes
country: UNITED KINGDOM
vote: abstention
country: UNITED STATES
vote: abstention

               United Nations                                                                   S/RES/2712 (2023)
               Security Council                                                  Distr.: General
                                                                                 15 November 2023




               Resolution 2712 (2023)
               Adopted by the Security Council at its 9479th meeting, on
               15 November 2023

                    The Security Council,
                    Reaffirming the purposes and principles of the Charter of the United Nations,
                     Reaffirming that all parties to conflicts must adhere to their obligations under
               international law, including international humanitarian law and international human
               rights law,
                     Stressing that international humanitarian law provides general protection for
               children as persons taking no part in hostilities, and special protection as persons who
               are particularly vulnerable, and recalling that the taking of hostages is prohibited
               under international law,
                    Recalling that all parties to armed conflict must comply strictly with the
               obligations applicable to them under international law for the protection of children in
               armed conflict, including those contained in the Geneva Conventions of 12th Augu st
               1949 and the Additional Protocols of 1977, as well as the relevant conventions
               regarding the involvement of children in conflict situations,
                     Expressing deep concern at the humanitarian situation in the Gaza Strip and its
               grave impact on the civilian population, especially the disproportionate effect on
               children, underlining the urgent need for full, rapid, safe, and unhindered
               humanitarian access, and stressing the humanitarian principles of humanity,
               impartiality, neutrality, and independence and the obligation to respect and protect
               humanitarian relief personnel,
                     Rejecting forced displacement of the civilian population, including children, in
               violation of international law, including international humanitarian law and
               international human rights law,
                    Expressing deep concern that the disruption of access to education has a
               dramatic impact on children, and that conflict has lifelong effects on their physical
               and mental health,
                    Commending the ongoing efforts of several regional and international actors a s
               well as of the Secretary-General of the United Nations to address the hostage and
               humanitarian crises,




23-22427 (E)
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S/RES/2712 (2023)

                     1.    Demands that all parties comply with their obligations under international
               law, including international humanitarian law, notably with regard to th e protection
               of civilians, especially children;
                     2.   Calls for urgent and extended humanitarian pauses and corridors
               throughout the Gaza Strip for a sufficient number of days to enable, consistent with
               international humanitarian law, the full, rapid, safe, and unhindered humanitarian
               access for United Nations humanitarian agencies and their implementing partners, the
               International Committee of the Red Cross and other impartial humanitarian
               organizations, to facilitate the continuous, sufficient and unhindere d provision of
               essential goods and services important to the well-being of civilians, especially
               children, throughout the Gaza Strip, including water, electricity, fuel, food, and
               medical supplies, as well as emergency repairs to essential infrastructure, and to
               enable urgent rescue and recovery efforts, including for missing children in damaged
               and destroyed buildings, and including the medical evacuation of sick or injured
               children and their care givers;
                   3.    Calls for the immediate and unconditional release of all hostages held by
               Hamas and other groups, especially children, as well as ensuring immediate
               humanitarian access;
                     4.    Calls on all parties to refrain from depriving the civilian population in the
               Gaza Strip of basic services and humanitarian assistance indispensable to their
               survival, consistent with international humanitarian law, which has a disproportionate
               impact on children, welcomes the initial, although limited, provision of humanitarian
               supplies to civilians in the Gaza Strip and calls for the scaling up of the provision of
               such supplies to meet the humanitarian needs of the civilian population, especially
               children;
                      5.   Underscores the importance of coordination, humanitarian notification,
               and deconfliction mechanisms, to protect all medical and humanitarian staff, vehicles
               including ambulances, humanitarian sites, and critical infrastructure, including UN
               facilities, and to help facilitate the movement of aid convoys and patients, in
               particular sick and injured children and their care givers;
                     6.   Requests the Secretary-General to report orally to the Security Council on
               the implementation of this resolution at the next mandated meeting of the Security
               Council on the situation in the Middle East, and furth er requests the Secretary-General to identify options to effectively monitor the implementation of this
               resolution as a matter of prime concern;
                    7.    Decides to remain seized of the matter.




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