US Alternate Ambassador to the United Nations Robert Wood raises his hand to veto a draft resolution calling for a ceasefire in Gaza, during a United Nations Security Council meeting to discuss the situation in the Middle East on November 20, 2024, at UN headquarters in New York City. (Photo by Angela Weiss / AFP)
New York: The United States on Wednesday vetoed a UN Security Council push to call for a ceasefire in Gaza.
The resolution demanded "an immediate, unconditional and permanent ceasefire" in the war between Israel and the Palestinian group, along with "the immediate and unconditional release of all hostages."
A senior US official warned ahead of the vote that the resolution had "the potential only to buoy Hamas, which will have no reason to come to the negotiating table."
Since the beginning of the conflict, the Security Council has struggled to speak with one voice, as the United States used its veto power several times, although Russia and China have as well.
The resolution vetoed on Wednesday calls for "safe and unhindered entry of humanitarian assistance at scale," including in besieged northern Gaza, and denounces any attempt to starve the Palestinians.
The Gaza health ministry said the death toll from the resulting war had reached 43,985 people, the majority civilians. The United Nations considers the figures reliable.
