Jamaica misses UN General Assembly vote on humanitarian truce in Gaza

Jamaica did not vote as the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) today approved a nonbinding resolution calling for a “humanitarian truce” in Gaza leading to a cessation of hostilities between Israel and Gaza's Hamas rulers.

In an update on X, formerly Twitter, this evening, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade, Kamina Johnson Smith, said deliberations were still taking place when the vote was finalised. 

"Regrettably, consultations were underway w/ Kingston which did not conclude in time for the close of vote. [Jamaica] welcomes the action taken by the UNGA, and hopes that it contributes to progress. JA chairs the CARICOM caucus at the UN and earlier delivered the statement attached," she said. 

Jamaica's non-voting has been criticised on social media. 

Twelve Caribbean Community (CARICOM) countries voted in favour of the resolution. 

The 193-member world body adopted the resolution by a vote of 120-14 with 45 abstentions after rejecting a Canadian amendment backed by the United States.

It would have unequivocally condemned the October 7 “terrorist attacks” by Hamas and demanded the immediate release of hostages taken by Hamas, which is not mentioned in the Arab-drafted resolution.

The 14 countries that voted against the resolution include Israel and its closest ally, the United States, five Pacific island nations and just four European countries — Austria, Croatia, Czechia and Hungary.

Most European countries voted yes or abstained.

In the statement on behalf of CARICOM, Brian Wallace, Jamaica's permanent representative to the United Nations, said the attacks on Israel were "abhorrent" and "acts of terror that must never be condoned".

"Ordinary Israeli citizens - men, women and children were murdered, wounded, abducted and assaulted," he said, before calling for the immediate and unconditional release of all hostages.

Wallace said the Israeli response "has been devastating to the ordinary Palestinians in Gaza" and "over 4,600 lives have been lost". 

"CARICOM, therefore, joins the calls for an immediate cessation of hostilities by all parties, the opening of humanitarian corridors to facilitate unhindered access to food, medical supplies, fuel, water and other humanitarian products and services so desperately needed by the affected civilian population."

In a statement on October 7, Prime Minister Andrew Holness said Jamaica "condemns in strongest terms", the Hamas attack; that there was no place for "violence and terror" and for diplomatic solutions to be pursued. 

Riyad Mansour, the Palestinian UN ambassador, called the General Assembly “more courageous, more principled” than the divided UN Security Council, which failed in four attempts during the past two weeks to reach an agreement on a resolution.

Two were vetoed and two failed to get the minimum nine “yes” votes required for approval.

Israel's UN Ambassador Gilad Erdan called it “a day that will go down in infamy,” saying after the vote: “Israel will not stop the operation until Hamas terror capabilities are destroyed and our hostages are returned. … And the only way to destroy Hamas is root them out of their tunnels and subterranean city of terror.”

While the surprise Hamas attacks killed some 1,400 Israelis, more than 7,000 Palestinians have been killed in Israel's retaliatory airstrikes, according to the Gaza Health Ministry. 

- Associated Press reports contributed to this report.

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