US Veto stalls UN Gaza ceasefire bid
Shafaq News/ On Wednesday, the United States vetoed a draft
resolution in the UN Security Council calling for an immediate, unconditional,
and permanent ceasefire in the Gaza Strip, along with unimpeded humanitarian
access to the territory.
It marks the first use of veto power during US President
Donald Trump’s second term in office, and the Council’s first vote on the Gaza
file since November, when the United States blocked a previous call for a
ceasefire.
The draft also highlighted what it described as the
“catastrophic humanitarian situation” in Gaza.
Backed by 14 other Security Council members, the resolution
also pressed for the “immediate and unconditional lifting of all restrictions
on the entry and distribution of humanitarian aid to Gaza,” demanding safe,
wide-scale, and unobstructed delivery, including through UN channels.
US Deputy Ambassador Dorothy Shea justified her country’s
vote against the draft resolution, describing it as “biased” and noting that it
“fails to condemn Hamas or demand that it disarm and leave Gaza.” She also
invoked “Israel’s right to defend itself” and claimed the resolution undermines
ongoing negotiation efforts.
British Ambassador Barbara Woodward voiced her country’s
support for the resolution, stating, “The unbearable situation in Gaza must
end. We are determined to see an end to this war, the release of hostages held
by Hamas, and relief for the catastrophic humanitarian situation facing
Palestinians in Gaza.”
The last resolution adopted by the Council dates back to
June 2024, when members backed a US-proposed multi-phase ceasefire plan
involving the release of Israeli detainees in Gaza. That ceasefire only took
effect in January 2025.
