US vetoes UN resolution demanding ceasefire in Gaza

Associated Press United Nations: The United States on Wednesday vetoed a UN Security Council resolution demanding an immediate ceasefire in the war in Gaza because it was not linked to an immediate release of hostages taken captive by Hamas militants in Israel in October 2023. The council voted overwhelmingly in favour of the resolution 14 of its 15 members voted “yes” including US allies Britain and France but it was doomed by the veto. US deputy ambassador Robert Wood said the United States worked for weeks to avoid a veto of the resolution sponsored by the council's 10 elected members, and expressed regret that compromise language was not accepted.

“We made clear throughout negotiations we could not support an unconditional ceasefire that failed to release the hostages,” he said. “Hamas would have seen it as a vindication of its cynical strategy to hope and pray the international community forgets about the fate of more than 100 hostages from more than 20 member states who have been held for 410 days.” The resolution that was put to a vote “demands an immediate, unconditional and permanent ceasefire to be respected by all parties, and further reiterates its demand for the immediate and unconditional release of all hostages.” The emotional response to the veto by the Palestinian deputy UN ambassador, Majed Bamya, reflected the widespread anger and disappointment at the failure of the UN's most powerful body to demand an end to the more than 13-month war, which has killed more than 44,000 Palestinians, according to the Gaza health ministry.