The United Nations Security Council, the highest body of government in the organization, demanded an immediate ceasefire on Monday, following the United States’ abstention from the voting procedures, the very first time the United Nations has had this voting outcome since the reignition of the conflict on October 7th.

Prior to the voting procedure, Israeli president Benjamin Netanyahu warned the United States government of canceling a high-delegation summit in Washington that was set to take place after the vote, if the United States failed to veto the U.N.’s calls for a ceasefire. The summit was ultimately canceled, sparking the highest tensions between the two known allies in recent history. According to the Associated Press, Netanyahu has since accused the U.S. of “retreating from a principled position” by failing to stop the vote from proceeding, without putting the ceasefire under the guise that Hamas release Israeli hostages.

The White House national security spokesperson, John Kirby, stated that the U.S. voted to abstain as opposed to veto the vote, due to the country’s belief that “it does fairly reflect” the nation’s hopes that “a ceasefire and the release of hostages come together.”

The resolution conducted by the U.N. states that it does not lie under the condition that hostages be released, but that the ceasefire runs through the month of Ramadan, ending in April. The 15-member council ultimately passed the notion with a 14-0 vote, the first of it’s kind since the U.S. has vetoed every previous attempt, due to it not being under the condition that Hamas release it’s Israeli hostages.

Since the U.N. resolution, Hamas have since stated that they are open to the outcome, but demand that the ceasefire become permanent as opposed to it running through the rest of Ramadan, ending in less than two weeks.

The resolution and outcome of the U.S.’ vote comes amidst immense pressure for months onto the Biden administration from the general public, demanding a ceasefire in the Gaza strip, amidst hoards of civilian casualties and lack of humanitarian aid to it’s citizens as a result of Israel’s blockade of aid convoys entering the region. Famine, displacement, and violence between citizens even in the Palestinian West Bank from Israeli settlers, continue to run rampant presently as a result of the everlasting conflict.

Amar Bendjama, the U.N. Ambassador to Algeria, thanked the council following the vote for “finally” accomplishing a demand for a ceasefire, a sentiment shared by many in the American public, especially as now the death toll since October 7th in Gaza, according to Gaza’s Ministry of Health, has surpassed over 29k people.