The Czech Republic, alongside the United States and Israel, was one of ten countries that opposed a UN General Assembly resolution advocating for a humanitarian ceasefire in the Gaza Strip.
Despite being supported by a substantial majority of 153 countries, as reported by the AP news agency, the resolution did not secure the Czech Republic’s vote.
The Czech Foreign Ministry spokesman, Daniel Drake, explained to ČTK that their opposition stemmed from the resolution’s failure to include specific language.
The Czech Republic had pushed for the inclusion of a clause condemning the Hamas attack on October 7 and a demand for the immediate release of hostages held by Hamas and other terrorist groups. However, these amendments were not incorporated into the resolution’s final text.
Czechia’s vote against the resolution, which aimed for an immediate cessation of hostilities in Gaza, was cast despite their efforts to modify its wording.
The Czech ambassador to the UN, Jakub Kulhánek, expressed that this decision was made with considerable reluctance.
Kazem Abu Khalaf, spokesperson for the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA), has disclosed the continuous displacement of tens of thousands of Palestinians to the Rafah area on the Gaza Strip’s border with Egypt, driven by fears of ongoing Israeli bombardment in the southern region of the Strip.
In recent days, as the conflict between the Israeli military and Hamas has intensified, Israeli authorities issued an evacuation map advising Palestinians to move southward and leave areas of military operations for their safety.
Abu Khalaf stated, “The number of displaced individuals is continuously increasing, which correlates with Israeli military actions and field data.” He confirmed that more than 400,000 Palestinians have sought refuge in the Rafah area, which typically houses 280,000 residents, in search of elusive safety since the war’s onset.
