Full Explanation
After weeks of failed attempts, the 15-member Security Council approved a resolution calling for an immediate halt to fighting in Gaza. The measure ties the ceasefire to the holy month of Ramadan and presses for the release of hostages taken during the October attacks. It also demands that aid be allowed in at scale, warning of famine risk for hundreds of thousands of civilians. The United States, which had blocked earlier drafts, chose to abstain rather than veto, allowing the resolution to pass.
Why It Matters
It is the first time the Council has demanded a ceasefire since the war began, and the US abstention marks a shift in Washington's public posture toward its ally. For civilians in Gaza, the vote could open the door to more food, water and medicine reaching people cut off by the fighting.
What Happens Next
Resolutions are binding under the UN Charter, but the Council has no enforcement army. Diplomats will now watch whether the parties on the ground honour the call, and whether aid convoys are actually allowed through crossings in the coming days.