Resolution adopted by the General Assembly on  27 October 2023          [without reference to a Main Committee (A/ES-10/L.25)]      ES-10/21. Protection of civilians and upholding legal and  humanitarian obligations        The General Assembly,    Guided by the purposes and principles of the Charter of the United Nations,    Recalling its relevant resolutions regarding the question of Palestine,    Reaffirming the obligation to respect and ensure respect for international  humanitarian law in all circumstances in accordance with article 1 of the Geneva  Conventions of 12 August 1949,1    Recalling the relevant resolutions of the Security Council, including resolutions  242 (1967) of 22 November 1967, 338 (1973) of 22 October 1973, 446 (1979) of  22 March 1979, 452 (1979) of 20 July 1979, 465 (1980) of 1 March 1980, 476 (1980)  of 30 June 1980, 478 (1980) of 20 August 1980, 904 (1994) of 18 March 1994, 1397  (2002) of 12 March 2002, 1515 (2003) of 19 November 2003, 1850 (2008) of  16 December 2008, 1860 (2009) of 8 January 2009 and 2334 (2016) of 23 December  2016,    Recalling also Security Council resolutions on the protection of civilians in  armed conflict, including on children and armed conflict,    Expressing grave concern at the latest escalation of violence since the 7 October  2023 attack and the grave deterioration of the situation in the region, in particular in  the Gaza Strip and the rest of the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including East  Jerusalem, and in Israel,    Condemning all acts of violence aimed at Palestinian and Israeli civilians,  including all acts of terrorism and indiscriminate attacks, as well as all acts of  provocation, incitement and destruction,  __________________    1  United Nations, Treaty Series, vol. 75, Nos. 970–973.   A/RES/ES–10/21  Protection of civilians and upholding legal  and humanitarian obligations   23-21048 2/3      Recalling the need to uphold the principles of distinction, necessity,  proportionality and precaution in the conduct of hostilities,    Emphasizing that civilians must be protected, in accordance with international  humanitarian law and international human rights law, and deploring in this regard the  heavy civilian casualties and widespread destruction,    Emphasizing also the need to pursue accountability, and stressing in this regard  the importance of ensuring independent and transparent investigations in accordance  with international standards,    Expressing grave concern at the catastrophic humanitarian situation in the Gaza  Strip and at its vast consequences for the civilian population, largely comprising  children, and underlining the need for full, immediate, safe, unhindered and sustained  humanitarian access,    Expressing strong support for the efforts of the Secretary-General and for his  calls for the immediate and unrestricted access of humanitarian aid to respond to the  most basic needs of the Palestinian civilian population in the Gaza Strip, underlining  the Secretary-General’s message that food, water, medicine and fuel need to be  sustained and at scale, and expressing its appreciation for the critical role played by  Egypt in this regard,    Expressing strong support also for all regional and international efforts aimed  at achieving an immediate cessation of hostilities, ensuring the protection of civilians  and providing humanitarian aid,    1.  Calls for an immediate, durable and sustained humanitarian truce leading  to a cessation of hostilities;    2.  Demands that all parties immediately and fully comply with their  obligations under international law, including international humanitarian law and  international human rights law, particularly in regard to the protection of civilians and  civilian objects, as well as the protection of humanitarian personnel, persons hors de  combat, and humanitarian facilities and assets, and to enable and facilitate  humanitarian access for essential supplies and services to reach all civilians in need  in the Gaza Strip;    3.  Also demands the immediate, continuous, sufficient and unhindered  provision of essential goods and services to civilians throughout the Gaza Strip,  including but not limited to water, food, medical supplies, fuel and electricity,  stressing the imperative, under international humanitarian law, of ensuring that  civilians are not deprived of objects indispensable to their survival;    4.  Calls for immediate, full, sustained, safe and unhindered humanitarian  access for the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the  Near East and other United Nations humanitarian agencies and their implementing  partners, the International Committee of the Red Cross and all other humanitarian  organizations upholding humanitarian principles and delivering urgent assistance to  civilians in the Gaza Strip, encourages the establishment of humanitarian corridors  and other initiatives to facilitate the delivery of humanitarian aid to civilians, and  welcomes efforts in this regard;    5.  Also calls for the rescinding of the order by Israel, the occupying Power,  for Palestinian civilians and United Nations staff, as well as humanitarian and medical  workers, to evacuate all areas in the Gaza Strip north of the Wadi Gaza and relocate  to southern Gaza, recalls and reiterates that civilians are protected under international  humanitarian law and should receive humanitarian assistance wherever they are, and  reiterates the need to take appropriate steps to ensure the safety and well-being of   Protection of civilians and upholding legal  and humanitarian obligations  A/RES/ES–10/21   3/3 23-21048    civilians, in particular children, and their protection, and allowing their safe  movement;    6.  Firmly rejects any attempts at the forced transfer of the Palestinian civilian  population;     7.  Calls for the immediate and unconditional release of all civilians who are  being illegally held captive, demanding their safety, well-being and humane treatment  in compliance with international law;    8.  Also calls for respect and protection, consistent with international  humanitarian law, of all civilian and humanitarian facilities, including hospitals and  other medical facilities, as well as their means of transport and equipment, schools,  places of worship and United Nations facilities, as well as all of humanitarian and  medical personnel and journalists, media professionals and associated personnel, in  armed conflict in the region;    9.  Stresses the particularly grave impact that armed conflict has on women  and children, including as refugees and displaced persons, as well as on other civilians  who may have specific vulnerabilities, including persons with disabilities and older  persons;    10. Also stresses the need to urgently establish a mechanism to ensure the  protection of the Palestinian civilian population, in accordance with international law  and the relevant United Nations resolutions;    11.  Further stresses the importance of a humanitarian notification mechanism  to ensure the protection of United Nations facilities and all humanitarian installations,  and to ensure the unimpeded movement of aid convoys;    12. Emphasizes the importance of preventing further destabilization and  escalation of violence in the region, and in this regard calls upon all parties to exercise  maximum restraint and upon all those with influence on them to work toward this  objective;    13. Reaffirms that a just and lasting solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict  can only be achieved by peaceful means, based on the relevant United Nations  resolutions and in accordance with international law, and on the basis of the two-State  solution;    14. Decides to adjourn the tenth emergency special session temporarily and to  authorize the President of the General Assembly at its most recent session to resume  its meeting upon request from Member States.