US Vetoes UN Security Council Resolution Calling for Immediate Gaza Ceasefire

The United States has vetoed a UN Security Council resolution that called for an immediate, unconditional, and permanent ceasefire in Gaza. The draft resolution, which was submitted by the 10 non-permanent members of the Security Council, including Guyana, demanded a ceasefire without tying it to the release of hostages held by Palestinian groups in Gaza.

The resolution received 14 votes in favor but was blocked by the sole veto from the United States. This marks the fifth time the US has used its veto power to block a ceasefire resolution in Gaza since the conflict began in October 2023.

According to Robert Wood, the alternate US representative to the UN, the US could not support the resolution because it did not condition the ceasefire on the release of hostages. Wood stated that the resolution would have sent a “dangerous message to Hamas” that there was no need to return to negotiations.

The conflict in Gaza has resulted in significant humanitarian suffering, with over 43,900 Palestinians killed and more than 103,000 wounded, according to the Palestinian health ministry. The war has also led to the displacement of almost all of Gaza’s 2.4 million people.

The veto has been criticized by various parties, including the Palestinian delegation, which argued that the resolution did not go far enough and should have included measures under Chapter 7 of the UN charter to enforce compliance. The Palestinian Ambassador to the UN, Riyad Mansour, warned that “Gaza’s fate will haunt the world for generations to come”.

The US has provided diplomatic and military support to Israel throughout the conflict, and its veto has been seen as a continuation of this support. The move has also been viewed as a public relations challenge for the US, given the widespread international support for the ceasefire resolution.