US vetoes latest Gaza ceasefire resolution at UN

A draft resolution calling for an immediate and permanent ceasefire in Gaza failed to pass the United Nations Security Council on Wednesday after a United States veto.

The US has vetoed five Gaza ceasefire resolutions.

The text of the resolution, co-sponsored by nonpermanent, elected council members Algeria, Denmark, Greece, Guyana, Pakistan, Panama, the Republic of Korea, Sierra Leone, Slovenia and Somalia — known as the E-10 — received 14 votes in favor from the 15-member council.

"China is deeply disappointed by the result of today's vote. … These are the most pressing demands of the people in Gaza, who are struggling amid death and despair, and they reflect the overwhelming voice of the international community," said Fu Cong, China's permanent representative to the UN.

"The United States has once again abused its veto power, extinguishing the glimmer of hope for the people in Gaza and ruthlessly continuing to leave over 2 million people in darkness. It must face the questioning from the international community," he said.

In order to pass, a Security Council resolution must receive nine votes in favor from the 15 members and no vetoes from the five permanent members — the UK, China, France, Russia and the US.

"We believe this text reflects the consensus shared by all council members that the war in Gaza has to come to an immediate halt, all hostages must be immediately and unconditionally released, and civilians in Gaza must not starve and must have full and unimpeded access to aid," the E-10 said in a statement.

Hamas is a Palestinian nationalist group with a military wing.

Fu said that for more than 600 days, more than 54,000 people in Gaza have died.

"Israel continues to escalate its offensive and blockade, turning Gaza into a living hell. Innocent civilians are killed in the conflict every day, while a large portion of the population is on the brink of famine," he said.

"Recently, there have been repeated incidents of civilian casualties near (food) distribution sites, and this mechanism has even become a death trap. The brutal facts have clearly shown that military means is not the solution," Fu said. "This conflict has long exceeded the limits of a hostage rescue operation. Israel must immediately cease military operations and fully restore access to humanitarian supplies."?

UN spokesman Stephane Dujarric said Tuesday that the needs in Gaza are enormous and what's getting into Gaza from the UN "is still just a trickle".

Since the blockade was partly lifted, Dujarric said, just over 620 truckloads have made it from Israel to the Palestinian side of the Kerem Shalom crossing, and only about 370 truckloads, mainly with flour, food and medical and nutrition items — have gotten closer to people in need, with some looted by armed gangs.

"The?unimpeded?entry of?humanitarian assistance at scale must be restored immediately," Dujarric said. "The UN must be allowed to work in safety and in security?under conditions of?full respect?for?humanitarian principles."

Fu said that since the outbreak of the conflict, humanitarian aid has been weaponized, civilian infrastructure such as schools and hospitals targeted, and journalists and humanitarian workers killed.

"Israel's actions have crossed every red line of international humanitarian law and seriously violated Security Council and General Assembly resolutions, as well as the provisional measures ordered by the ICJ (International Court of Justice)," he said.

"Yet due to the shielding by one certain country, these violations have not been stopped or held accountable," he said. "Observing international humanitarian law is an obligation that all parties must fulfill."

Fu said that the council, as a primary body responsible for maintaining international peace and security, has been striving to achieve a ceasefire in Gaza and has "long reached an overwhelming consensus on ceasefire and humanitarian issues".

"Today's vote result once again exposes that the root cause of the council's inability to quell the conflict in Gaza is the repeated obstruction by the US, who has vetoed the council's request for a ceasefire multiple times," he said.

Since Oct 7, 2023, the Security Council has voted on 14 Gaza-related resolutions and approved four.

The last resolution was also proposed by the 10 elected council members and also called for "an immediate, unconditional and permanent cease-fire to be respected by all parties".

Fourteen of the 15 council members voted in favor Nov 20, but the US vetoed the resolution because it was not linked to the immediate and unconditional release of all hostages.