Ceasefire Now Resolution
{{Short description|2023 proposed US House of Representatives resolution}}
{{Use American English|date=June 2025}}
{{pp-extended|small=yes}}
{{Infobox United States federal proposed legislation
| name = H.Res. 786
| fullname = Calling for an immediate deescalation and cease-fire in Israel and occupied
Palestine.
| number of co-sponsors = 17
| public law url =
| introducedin = House of Representatives
| leghisturl = https://www.congress.gov/bill/118th-congress/house-resolution/786?q=%7B%22search%22%3A%22H.Res.+786%22%7D&s=1&r=1
| introducedbill =
| introduceddate = October 16, 2023
| introducedby = Cori Bush (D–MO)
| committees = House Foreign Affairs
| enacted by =
| nicknames = Ceasefire Now Resolution
}}
H. Res. 786, also known as the Ceasefire Now Resolution, was a proposed resolution in the United States House of Representatives. The resolution was introduced by Cori Bush (D-MO) in the 118th Congress in October 2023.{{Cite news |last1=Greve |first1=Joan E. |last2=Gambino |first2=Lauren |date=2023-10-16 |title=Progressive Democrats bring resolution calling for ceasefire in Israel-Hamas war |language=en-GB |work=The Guardian |url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2023/oct/16/house-democrats-urge-biden-ceasefire-israel-hamas |access-date=2023-12-04 |issn=0261-3077}}
The resolution calls the killing of civilians a violation of international law, cites the deaths of Israelis, Palestinians, and Americans and the potential for more deaths as reason for a ceasefire in the Gaza war, and calls for the sending of humanitarian aid to Gaza.{{Cite web |title=H. RES. 786 | date=25 October 2023 |url=https://www.congress.gov/bill/118th-congress/house-resolution/786/text?s=1&r=1&q=%7B%22search%22%3A%22H.Res.+786%22%7D}}
Response
= Politicians =
The resolution received support from 17 Democratic representatives and no Republican support. President Biden initially rejected calls for a ceasefire, saying, "As long as Hamas clings to its ideology of destruction, a cease-fire is not peace."{{Cite news |date=2023-11-18 |title=Opinion {{!}} Joe Biden: The U.S. won't back down from the challenge of Putin and Hamas |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2023/11/18/joe-biden-gaza-hamas-putin/ |access-date=2023-12-04 |newspaper=Washington Post |language=en}} Biden instead called for "humanitarian pauses."{{Cite news |date=2023-11-02 |title=US President Joe Biden calls for 'pause' in Israel-Gaza conflict |language=en-GB |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-67294334 |access-date=2023-12-04}} Eventually he called for temporary ceasefires in February 2024,{{Cite web |title=Biden hopes for ceasefire in days as Israelis, Hamas take part in Qatar talks |url=https://www.reuters.com/world/middle-east/israeli-delegation-heads-qatar-ceasefire-deal-push-2024-02-26/ |website=Reuters}} and then an end to the war by May 2024.{{Cite web |last=Khalid |first=Asma |title=President Biden unveils and endorses details of a new Israeli cease-fire proposal |url=https://www.npr.org/2024/05/31/g-s1-2320/biden-israel-hamas-ceasefire-proposal |website=NPR}}
= Public =
As of November 30, 2023, 65% of Americans supported a ceasefire according to a YouGov poll.{{Cite web |last=Leonhardt |first=David |date=November 30, 2023 |title=What the Polls Say About Gaza |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2023/11/30/briefing/polling-gaza.html |website=New York Times}} "Ceasefire now" has become a slogan during American pro-Palestine protests.{{Cite news |date=2023-11-16 |title=Ceasefire protest at Democrats' national headquarters turns violent |language=en-GB |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-67440337 |access-date=2023-12-04}}{{Cite web |title='Jews say cease-fire now': New York City's Grand Central Station swarmed by hundreds of protesters demanding peace in Gaza |url=https://fortune.com/2023/10/28/jews-say-cease-fire-now-new-york-city-grand-central-protest-gaza-israel-hamas/ |access-date=2023-12-04 |website=Fortune |language=en}}
= Local governments =
As of March 2024, over 100 American localities have passed resolutions calling for a ceasefire in the war,{{Cite news |last=Nichols |first=John |date=2024-03-21 |title=100 American Communities Have Called for a Gaza Cease-Fire |url=https://www.thenation.com/article/activism/at-least-100-american-communities-have-called-for-a-gaza-cease-fire/ |access-date=2024-03-23 |language=en-US |issn=0027-8378}} many of which are modeled on the Ceasefire Now resolution.{{Cite news |last=Ellis |first=Aurora |date=2024-02-02 |title=US city councils increasingly call for Israel-Gaza ceasefire, analysis shows |url=https://www.reuters.com/world/us/us-city-councils-increasingly-call-israel-gaza-ceasefire-analysis-shows-2024-01-31/ |access-date=2024-03-23 |work=Reuters}}