USA bar resolution of the UN by immediate ceasefire in Gaza

The United States were the only country to veto, on Wednesday (4), a project to resolve the UN Security Council that required “immediate, unconditional and permanent ceasefire” in the Gaza Strip. The proposal was supported by the other 14 member countries of the Council and also provided for the total release of humanitarian aid and the immediate release of hostages.

UN interim ambassador in the UN, Dorothy Shea, justified the veto stating that the proposal did not explicitly condemn Hamas nor demanded its disarmament and withdrawal of Gaza. “Any product that compromises the safety of our Israel ally is unacceptable,” he said. “The war will end when Hamas is defeated,” she said, reaffirming the continuous position of the US government since the beginning of the conflict.

Since the war began in October 2023, the US has vetoed four similar resolutions and allowed only an abstention that made approval last June. The American position has been increasingly criticized internationally, including traditional allies.

This was the fifth time the United States has used its veto power to block a similar resolution since October 2023, when the surprise attack of Hamas resulted in the death of hundreds of Israelis and triggered the current Palestinian genocide in Gaza.

Genocide enters new climb and aggravates humanitarian tragedy

Voting on the Security Council occurred amid the resumption of the Israeli offensive after the end of a truce of two months in March. Health officials in Gaza reported the death of 45 people in Israeli attacks on Wednesday. Israel, in turn, informed the death of a soldier in fighting.

With more than 54,000 dead in Gaza, according to local authorities controlled by Hamas, and about 50,000 children killed or injured, according to UNICEF, the humanitarian situation reaches catastrophic levels. More than 2 million people face the risk of hunger, water shortage and hospital collapse.

Since March, Israel has prevented the entry of humanitarian aid on allegations that Hamas would divert it. However, international organizations such as UNICEF warn that children are starving and that about 50,000 minors have been injured or killed since the beginning of the war.

Humanitarian aid entry has been limited and intermittent, depending on Israeli authorization. Current distribution – coordinated by private companies with US and Israel support – was suspended after lethal incidents at food delivery points. In three days, more than 80 people died in distribution areas.

Israel is accused of attracting these people to these places, such as a deadly trap to make them go under the claim of “warning after civilians leave the established route.” On Tuesday, at least 27 people were killed while heading to a distribution point in southern Gaza.

International alert and criticism of US posture

Before the vote, UN Humanitarian Chief, Tom Fletcher, made a direct appeal for full and immediate access to humanitarian agencies. “We have the teams, the supplies and the plan. We just need them to let us work,” he said. He also demanded the end of the restrictions imposed by Israel.

United Kingdom Ambassador Barbara Woodward criticized the expansion of Israeli operations and barriers to help as “unjustifiable, disproportionate and counterproductive.” Already the ambassador of Algeria, love Bendjama, said that the vetoed resolution represented “the collective will of the world, not the voice of a minority.”

Diplomats from various countries have pointed to the US veto as a sign of increasing ishington isolation and mismatch with international public opinion. According to Slovenia ambassador Samuel žbogar, “the vetoed text expressed the consensus that war must stop immediately, hostages need to be released and civilians cannot starve.”

Veto as an obstacle to peace

Although Washington claims that he works for a “lasting and realistic” ceasefire, the veto was widely interpreted as an impediment to ongoing multilateral negotiations. Hamas rejected the US -mediated truce plan for not predicting the definitive end of the war or guarantees of Israeli withdrawal.

Israel, in turn, has reaffirmed that it will not accept ceasefire before the total elimination of Hamas and rejects any proposal that allows the group to permanence in the territory. “You have chosen submission and not peace,” Israeli ambassador Danny Danon told members who supported the resolution.

While diplomacy is looked at the Security Council, Gaza’s civilian population continues to pay the highest price of the war. Amid the rubble, hunger and violence, international pressure grows to cease fire and the minimum of human dignity is restored to the Palestinians.