US vetoes UNSC resolution calling for Gaza ceasefire, hostage release

The United States once again vetoed a UN Security Council resolution Thursday that had demanded for an immediate and permanent ceasefire in Gaza and the release of hostages after saying that the effort did not go far enough in condemning Hamas.

All 14 other members of the United Nations' most powerful body voted in favor of the resolution, which described the humanitarian situation in Gaza as catastrophic and called on Israel to lift all restrictions on the delivery of aid to the 2.1 million Palestinians in the territory. The outcome further highlights US and Israeli isolation on the world stage regarding the nearly two-year war in Gaza.

The vote came just days ahead of the annual gathering of world leaders at the UN General Assembly, where Gaza will be a major topic and where major US allies are expected to recognise an independent Palestinian state.

It is a largely symbolic move that is vehemently opposed by Israel and the US, dividing the Trump administration from close allies, including the UK and France.

The resolution, drafted by the council's 10 elected members who serve two-year terms, goes further than previous drafts to highlight what it calls the deepening of suffering of Palestinian civilians.

It also reiterates demands from previous resolutions, including for the release of all hostages held by Hamas and other militant groups following their Oct 7, 2023, surprise attack in southern Israel that launched the war in Gaza.

In opposing similar resolutions since November, the US has complained that the demands, including a ceasefire, were not directly linked to the unconditional release of hostages and would only embolden Hamas militants.

Danny Danon, Israel's ambassador to the UN, blasted the new resolution, saying that it would not release the hostages and will not bring security to the region.

Israel will continue to fight Hamas and protect its citizens, even if the Security Council prefers to turn a blind eye to terrorism, he said in a statement Thursday.

The resolution also expressed deep alarm after a report released last month by the world's leading authority on food crises said Gaza City has become gripped by famine, and that it's likely to spread across the territory without a ceasefire and an end to restrictions on humanitarian aid.

Israeli forces have pressed on with a new ground offensive in Gaza City. The latest Israeli operation, which started Tuesday, further escalates a conflict that has roiled the Middle East and likely pushes any ceasefire further out of reach.

The Israeli military, which says it wants to destroy Hamas' military infrastructure, hasn't given a timeline for the offensive, but there were indications it could take months.

That same day, a team of independent experts commissioned by the UN Human Rights Council concluded that Israel is committing genocide in Gaza, issuing a report that called on the international community to end it and take steps to punish those responsible for it.

Last week, the UN General Assembly voted overwhelmingly to support a two-state solution to the Israel-Palestinian conflict and urged Israel to commit to a Palestinian state.

Expectations for a US veto of the resolution Thursday comes as about half of Americans say the Israeli military response in the Gaza Strip has gone too far, according to the survey from The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research. That's up from November 2023, when 40% said Israel's military action had gone too far.

But at the same time, Americans overall, particularly Republicans, are less likely to say that negotiating a ceasefire should be a high priority for the US government than they were just a few months ago when the US was holding ceasefire talks with Hamas.