UNITED NATIONS. The United States vetoed a United Nations Security Council resolution on Thursday that called for an immediate and permanent ceasefire in Gaza and the release of hostages, arguing the measure failed to adequately condemn Hamas.
The resolution, supported by the 14 other members of the council, described the humanitarian situation in Gaza as “catastrophic” and urged Israel to lift restrictions on aid delivery to the territory’s 2.1 million residents.
“U.S. opposition to this resolution will come as no surprise,” said Morgan Ortagus, senior U.S. policy adviser, before the vote. “It fails to condemn Hamas or recognize Israel’s right to defend itself, and it wrongly legitimizes the false narratives benefiting Hamas, which have sadly found currency in this council.” She added that council members had “ignored” U.S. concerns about “unacceptable” language and instead pursued “performative action designed to draw a veto.”
The outcome underscored the diplomatic isolation of the United States and Israel over the nearly two-year conflict in Gaza. The vote came just ahead of the U.N. General Assembly’s annual session, where Gaza is expected to dominate discussions and several U.S. allies, including the U.K. and France, are anticipated to support recognition of an independent Palestinian state.
The resolution, drafted by the council’s 10 elected members, highlighted what it described as the “deepening of suffering” among Palestinian civilians. Riyad Mansour, the Palestinian ambassador to the U.N., voiced disappointment, saying: “I can understand the anger and frustration and disappointment of the Palestinian people who might be watching this session of the Security Council, hoping that there is some help in the pipeline, and this nightmare could be brought to an end.”
Algeria, a co-leader of the resolution, expressed regret for the council’s failure to act, with its ambassador, Amar Bendjam,a stating: “14 courageous members of this Security Council raised their voice. They have acted with conscience and in the cause of the international public opinion.” Pakistan’s ambassador described the outcome as “a dark moment.”
Israel strongly opposed the resolution. Ambassador Danny Danon said it would “not release the hostages and will not bring security to the region,” adding: “Israel will continue to fight Hamas and protect its citizens, even if the Security Council prefers to turn a blind eye to terrorism.”
The resolution reiterated longstanding demands, including the release of hostages taken by Hamas and other militants during the October 7, 2023, attacks in southern Israel that triggered the war. The United States has consistently argued that ceasefire calls not tied to hostage releases risk emboldening Hamas.
Concerns over Gaza’s worsening humanitarian crisis have intensified. A recent food crisis report warned of famine in Gaza City, while Israeli forces launched a new ground offensive in the area this week, part of an ongoing effort to “destroy Hamas’ military infrastructure.” Independent experts commissioned by the U.N. Human Rights Council also concluded this week that Israel is committing genocide in Gaza, urging international accountability.
The U.N. General Assembly has already voted in favor of a two-state solution and urged Israel to recognize a Palestinian state. Meanwhile, U.S. public opinion shows shifting views: an AP-NORC survey found that about half of Americans now believe Israel’s military response has “gone too far,” compared with 40% in November 2023. However, fewer Americans today see negotiating a ceasefire as a top priority for Washington.
Edgardo Hernal started college at UP Diliman and received his BA in Economics from San Sebastian College, Manila, and Masters in Information Systems Management from Keller Graduate School of Management of DeVry University in Oak Brook, IL. He has 25 years of copy editing and management experience at Thomson West, a subsidiary of Thomson Reuters.
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