UNITED NATIONS. The United States on Wednesday vetoed a United Nations Security Council draft resolution demanding an “immediate, unconditional and permanent ceasefire” between Israel and Hamas militants in Gaza, despite support from the other 14 council members.
Acting U.S. Ambassador to the U.N. Dorothy Shea defended the veto, saying the draft failed to condemn Hamas and would undermine ongoing U.S.-led efforts to broker a ceasefire. “The United States has been clear: We would not support any measure that fails to condemn Hamas and does not call for Hamas to disarm and leave Gaza,” Shea told the council.
The veto came amid intensifying humanitarian concerns. Aid deliveries to Gaza have trickled in since Israel lifted an 11-week blockade last month, while Gaza’s health authorities report severe food shortages and ongoing Israeli military strikes. On Wednesday alone, Israeli strikes killed 45 people in Gaza, health officials said. Israel also reported one soldier killed in the fighting.
Britain’s U.N. Ambassador Barbara Woodward condemned Israel’s actions in Gaza as “unjustifiable, disproportionate and counterproductive,” while Israel’s U.N. Ambassador Danny Danon told council members who supported the resolution, “You chose appeasement and submission.”
Hamas denounced the U.S. veto as proof of “the U.S. administration’s blind bias” toward Israel. The draft resolution also called for the immediate release of all hostages held by Hamas and others.
The conflict began in October 2023, when Hamas militants killed 1,200 people in Israel and took about 250 hostages, according to Israeli tallies. Israel’s military campaign in response has killed more than 54,000 Palestinians, according to Gaza health officials, who say civilians have suffered the most.
Amid international pressure, Israel allowed limited U.N.-led aid deliveries to resume on May 19. A new aid distribution system run by the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF), supported by the U.S. and Israel, began operating a week later. However, the U.N. and other aid groups refuse to work with the GHF, saying it is not neutral, militarizes aid, and displaces Palestinians.
No GHF aid was distributed on Wednesday after a deadly incident on Tuesday prompted calls for greater civilian safety around distribution sites. The GHF posted on Facebook that ongoing maintenance would delay aid deliveries on Thursday.
Despite criticisms, the U.S. ceasefire proposal includes aid deliveries by the U.N. and Red Crescent, though Hamas is demanding changes Washington calls “totally unacceptable.” U.N. aid chief Tom Fletcher again urged Israel to open all crossings and allow aid groups to work safely. “Enough of suffering of civilians. Enough of food being used as a weapon. Enough is enough is enough,” said Slovenia’s U.N. Ambassador Samuel Zbogar.
A similar humanitarian resolution is now expected to go to a vote in the 193-member U.N. General Assembly, where there is no veto power, and it would likely pass. Israel’s Ambassador Danon warned the council, “Don’t waste more of your time, because no resolution, no vote, no moral failure, will stand in our way.”
Si Venus L Peñaflor ay naging editor-in-chief ng Newsworld, isang lokal na pahayagan ng Laguna. Publisher din siya ng Daystar Gazette at Tutubi News Magazine. Siya ay isa ring pintor at doll face designer ng Ninay Dolls, ang unang Manikang Pilipino. Kasali siya sa DesignCrowd sa rank na #305 sa 640,000 graphic designers sa buong daigdig. Kasama din siya sa unang Local TV Broadcast sa Laguna na Beyond Manila. Aktibong kasapi siya ng San Pablo Jaycees Senate bilang isang JCI Senator.
- Venus L Peñaflorhttps://tutubi.ph/author/venusp/
- Venus L Peñaflorhttps://tutubi.ph/author/venusp/
- Venus L Peñaflorhttps://tutubi.ph/author/venusp/
- Venus L Peñaflorhttps://tutubi.ph/author/venusp/
