US vetoes sixth UN call for Gaza ceasefire

The United States vetoed the latest draft resolution at the United Nations Security Council that would have demanded an immediate and permanent ceasefire in Gaza and the release of hostages, marking the sixth veto of a Gaza-related measure by Washington at the council. The draft described the humanitarian situation in Gaza as catastrophic and called on Israel to lift restrictions on aid as the fighting intensified on the ground.

Fourteen of the council’s 15 members voted in favor of the draft; the United States blocked adoption with a veto. The administration argued that the text did not go far enough in condemning Hamas or recognizing Israel’s right to defend itself, and that it risked legitimizing narratives that have gained traction in the council. In the days leading up to the vote, the U.S. deputy Middle East envoy, Morgan Ortagus, signaled that opposition should not be surprising, saying the text failed to condemn Hamas and to affirm Israel’s security rights while potentially supporting disinformation acknowledgments circulating in the council.

The veto drew swift reactions from diplomats and the Palestinian mission at the United Nations. Palestinian Ambassador Riyad Mansour described the decision as deeply regrettable and painful, saying it prevented the Security Council from fulfilling its role amid the atrocities. Pakistan’s ambassador, Asim Ahmad, called the move a dark moment for the chamber. Algeria’s ambassador, Amar Bendjama, offered a public apology to the Palestinian people for what he described as a global failure to uphold Palestinian rights and to translate that concern into action.

The vote comes ahead of an anticipated surge of attention at the United Nations General Assembly, where Gaza is expected to be a prominent topic and where some Western allies, including the United Kingdom, have suggested they may recognise an independent Palestinian state in the near term. The unfolding vote underscores widening international divisions on how to respond to the Gaza crisis as humanitarian needs reach a breaking point and political alignments shift.

In Gaza, the humanitarian toll continues to mount as Israeli tanks and troops press a ground offensive for a third day. Aid workers warn that the city’s lifelines are collapsing under the strain of the fighting, with access to essential services increasingly limited and civilians scrambling to flee shelling and bombardment. The United Nations warned that Gaza City faces a catastrophic humanitarian scenario as conditions deteriorate and the number of displaced people swells across the enclave.

The conflict began with Hamas’s attack on southern Israel on 7 October 2023, which left roughly 1,200 Israelis dead and about 251 taken hostage. Since then, the Gaza health ministry says that at least 65,141 people have been killed in Gaza as a result of Israeli attacks. The ministry also reports that another 435 people have died from malnutrition and starvation linked to the ongoing war, including four deaths in the last 24 hours.

The Security Council’s failure to adopt the draft resolution comes amid mounting concern over civilian casualties and the ability of humanitarian organizations to reach those in need. The UN’s humanitarian office has stressed that aid lifelines are under increasing strain in Gaza City as the conflict expands, and officials have called for safe, sustained access to vulnerable populations. While the international community debates the appropriate balance between security concerns and humanitarian imperatives, many observers say the crisis requires a renewed emphasis on protecting civilians and enabling humanitarian relief to move more freely.