US vetoes UN Security Council demand for immediate Gaza ceasefire
The US vetoed, but all 14 other UN Security Council members voted in favour of the resolution
The United States on Wednesday vetoed a UN Security Council resolution demanding an immediate and permanent ceasefire in Gaza because it was not linked to the release of hostages, saying it would embolden Hamas militants.
All 14 other members of the council voted in favour of the resolution, which described the humanitarian situation in Gaza as “catastrophic” and called on Israel to lift all restrictions on the delivery of aid to the 2.1 million Palestinians in the territory.
The resolution before the UN’s most powerful body also did not fulfil two other US demands: it did not condemn Hamas’ deadly attack in Israel on October 7, 2023, which ignited the war, or say the militant group must disarm and withdraw from Gaza.
Acting US ambassador Dorothy Shea, speaking to the council immediately before the vote, said the resolution would undermine the security of Israel, a close US ally, and diplomatic efforts to reach a ceasefire “that reflects the realities on the ground”.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said the resolution would only have empowered Hamas. “Hamas could end this brutal conflict immediately by laying down its arms and releasing all remaining hostages,” he said in a statement.