On Wednesday, the United States vetoed a United Nations Security Council resolution calling for an immediate and unconditional ceasefire between Israel and Hamas in Gaza, where a growing humanitarian crisis continues amid ongoing conflict.
Fourteen members of the Security Council voted in favor of the resolution, while the United States cast the lone veto.
The U.S. explained its veto by stating the resolution did not link the ceasefire to the release of hostages held by Hamas in Gaza. While the resolution mentioned the release of hostages, it suggested that such an action would follow the ceasefire, rather than being a condition for it.
This marks the fourth time the U.S. has blocked a ceasefire resolution since the conflict began over a year ago when Hamas launched an attack on Israel and took over 200 hostages. Over 40,000 people have been killed in Gaza during the conflict, and a UN-backed panel has warned that the territory is at risk of famine.
The veto came amid ongoing U.S. efforts to broker a ceasefire and facilitate the hostages’ release. Around 100 hostages are still believed to be held in Gaza, with Israeli authorities estimating that a third of them are dead.
âWe could not support an unconditional ceasefire that failed to address the release of hostages,â said Robert A. Wood, U.S. Ambassador to the UN. âThese two urgent goals are inseparable. This resolution ignored that necessity.”
The resolution called for an immediate ceasefire, the withdrawal of Israeli troops from Gaza, an increase in humanitarian aid, and unrestricted access for the Palestinian aid agency, UNRWA, to operate in Gaza.
The draft resolution was presented by 10 non-permanent members of the Security Council: Algeria, Ecuador, Guyana, Japan, Malta, Mozambique, South Korea, Sierra Leone, Slovenia, and Switzerland.
Algerian Ambassador Amar Bendjama expressed disappointment, calling it a “sad day” for the Security Council, the UN, and the international community. He emphasized that the 14 members supporting the resolution reflected global concern over the crisis.
The resolution had been under negotiation for weeks, with Guyanaâs Ambassador Carolyn Rodrigues-Birkett urging the Council to respond to the humanitarian disaster, particularly in northern Gaza.
The Security Council has been divided over how to address conflicts like the one in Gaza, with the U.S.’s strong support for Israel contributing to the deadlock. This division has drawn criticism from both UN members and close U.S. allies like the UK and France.
In the past year, the Security Council has attempted to address the Gaza conflict multiple times, but U.S. opposition has blocked three resolutions calling for ceasefires and hostages’ release, citing Israel’s right to self-defense. In March, Russia and China vetoed a U.S. resolution for a “sustained ceasefire,” with Algeria and Guyana also opposing it. The U.S. abstained from voting on a resolution that proposed a temporary halt to hostilities during Ramadan.