UN Security Council votes on resolution denouncing attacks on UN staff and aid agencies and demanding protection

EDITH M. LEDERER, Associated Press

30 minutes ago

FILE – Palestinians examine a vehicle bearing the World Central Kitchen logo that was destroyed in an Israeli airstrike in Deir al Balah in the Gaza Strip, April 2, 2024. The United Nations Security Council is scheduled to vote on a resolution Friday, May 24, 2024, that strongly condemns attacks on humanitarian workers and U.N. personnel and calls on all combatants to protect them in accordance with international law. (AP Photo/Ismael Abu Dayyah, File)

UNITED NATIONS (AP) — The United Nations Security Council is scheduled to vote Friday on a resolution that strongly condemns attacks on humanitarian workers and UN personnel and calls on all fighters to protect them in accordance with international law.

The resolution introduced by Switzerland expresses its deep concern about the increasing number of attacks and threats against UN and humanitarian personnel, as well as the continued disregard and violation of international humanitarian law by combatants.

“The aim of the resolution is as simple as it is important,” Swiss UN Ambassador Pascale Baeriswyl told the Associated Press on Thursday. “It is about protecting the men and women who work every day and risk their lives to help people affected by armed conflict.”

The draft resolution does not mention any individual conflict, yet it is being voted on while fighting rages in Gaza, Ukraine, Sudan, Myanmar and many other hot spots around the world.

However, most of the attacks on UN and humanitarian personnel have occurred during the seven-month war in Gaza. More than 190 UN staff have been killed, an unprecedented death toll in the nearly 80-year history of the United Nations, according to UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres.

Other humanitarian workers have also been killed in the war, including seven World Central Kitchen workers who were killed in an Israeli airstrike last month.

Baeriswyl said in a statement to AP that the resolution comes to a vote at a very opportune time. The Geneva Conventions, which Baeriswyl described as the cornerstone of international humanitarian law and an expression of our common humanity, celebrate their 75th anniversary in August.

The draft resolution calls on all countries to respect and protect humanitarian and UN personnel as required by international law. And it calls on all nations and parties to armed conflict to respect international humanitarian law and their obligations under the Geneva Conventions. It “strongly condemns attacks and all forms of violence, including sexual and gender-based violence, threats and intimidation against humanitarian and United Nations personnel and associated personnel.”

The draft calls on combatants to “respect the principles of distinction, proportionality and caution in the conduct of hostilities and to refrain from attacking, destroying, removing or rendering useless objects indispensable for the survival of the civilian population.”

The proposed resolution also calls on the warring parties to “allow full, safe, expeditious and unhindered humanitarian access for all civilians in need and to promote the safety and freedom of movement of humanitarian personnel and United Nations personnel and associated facilities.”

In another point, the draft condemns “disinformation, information manipulation and incitement to violence” against humanitarian aid organizations and UN staff and calls on all countries and the United Nations to take measures to combat these threats.

If adopted, the resolution would express the Council’s determination to take steps to ensure the safety of humanitarian organizations and UN personnel. It would call on the UN Secretary-General to make recommendations within six months on measures to prevent attacks, ensure accountability and improve the protection of humanitarian organizations and UN personnel.