United States Vetoes UN Resolution Urging Immediate Humanitarian Ceasefire in Gaza

The United States has used its veto power to block a draft resolution in the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) that called for an immediate humanitarian ceasefire in Gaza and the unconditional release of hostages taken by the Hamas militant group. The resolution, backed by over 90 member states and tabled by the United Arab Emirates, received the support of 13 Council members, while the United Kingdom abstained.

The UNSC vote followed UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres’ rare invocation of Article 99 of the UN Charter, urging the Council to implement a humanitarian ceasefire to prevent a “humanitarian catastrophe” in the Israel-Hamas conflict. The US stated that the resolution was imbalanced and divorced from reality, and it expressed regret that nearly all of its recommendations were ignored.