U.S. Blocks U.N. Call for Immediate Gaza Cease-Fire

On Wednesday, the U.S. exercised its veto power against a U.N. resolution focused on establishing an immediate cease-fire in Gaza, revealing heightened international tensions and America's isolation over its unwavering support for Israel.

The United States, on Wednesday, vetoed a U.N. Security Council resolution that demanded an immediate and unconditional cease-fire in Gaza, alongside the release of all hostages and the resumption of comprehensive humanitarian aid deliveries. The resolution was proposed by ten nonpermanent members of the 15-seat Council and marks the first time a cease-fire proposal has been considered by the Security Council since President Trump assumed office.

Only the U.S. cast a dissenting vote against the resolution, while the remaining 14 members, including prominent nations such as Russia, voted in its favor. This marked a significant moment that underscored Washington’s increasing diplomatic isolation regarding its steadfast support for Israel. A joint statement from the ten nonpermanent members indicated a shared consensus on the urgency of halting violence in Gaza, ensuring the immediate release of hostages, and enabling unimpeded access to humanitarian aid for civilians.

For a U.N. resolution to pass, it requires nine affirmative votes alongside no vetoes from any of the five permanent members—namely the U.S., U.K., France, China, and Russia. Since the onset of the recent conflict, sparked by a Hamas-led assault on Israel on October 7, 2023, the United States has exercised its veto against four cease-fire resolutions while abstaining on one, which had succeeded last June.

Dorothy Camille Shea, the interim U.S. representative to the U.N., reiterated the stance from Washington asserting Israel's right to self-defense while blaming Hamas for the humanitarian crisis, stating that peace would be attainable if Hamas chose to surrender.