Although the United Nations Security Council passed a resolution on Monday that demands an immediate cease-fire in the Gaza Strip, it remains to be seen whether it will have a concrete effect on the war or prove merely to be a political statement.
The measure, Resolution 2728, followed three previous attempts that the United States had blocked. It passed by 14 votes, after the United States abstained from voting and did not employ its veto.
The resolution also calls for the unconditional release of all hostages and the end to barriers to humanitarian aid.
Israel’s government condemned the vote, and early indications are that the U.N.’s action has changed little on the ground or spurred diplomatic progress.
Days after the vote, here’s a look at what has changed and what might happen next:
Has the resolution affected fighting?
Senior Israeli officials said that they would ignore the call for a cease-fire, arguing that it was imperative to pursue the war until it has dismantled the military wing of Hamas, the militant group that led the Oct. 7 attack on Israel.
Since Monday, there has been no apparent shift in the military campaign. Israel’s air force continues to pound Gaza with strikes, and Hamas is still launching attacks.