US blocks UN Security Council's Gaza ceasefire resolution

Measure calling for immediate ceasefire otherwise had unanimous support from 15-member council

The deputy US ambassador to the UN, Robert Wood, raises his hand to veto the draft resolution. Getty / AFP

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The US on Wednesday blocked a UN Security Council resolution demanding an immediate and unconditional ceasefire in the war in Gaza. All other members of the council supported it.

The resolution put forward by the 10 non-permanent members received 14 votes in favour. The US vetoed it because the ceasefire call was not linked to releasing the hostages being held in Gaza.

The resolution called for an immediate, unconditional and permanent ceasefire by all parties and demanded the unconditional release of all hostages. It also rejected “any effort to starve Palestinians” and urged unhindered access to humanitarian aid and essential services for civilians, including those in besieged northern Gaza.

The Security Council has faced challenges in presenting a unified stance since the start of the Gaza conflict, with the US exercising its power of veto several times.

Robert Wood, the US deputy ambassador to the UN, defended the latest veto by the administration of President Joe Biden, telling the Security Council that the proposal failed to secure the release of hostages being held in Gaza.

"For us, it has to be a linkage between a ceasefire and the release of hostages,” he said, accusing Hamas of obstructing a ceasefire and hostage deal.

“Some members of this council don't seem to want to confront the reality that today, it is not Israel standing in the way for the ceasefire and hostage deal. It is Hamas. Israel has said it is prepared to have a temporary ceasefire in exchange for the release of a few hostages.”

Mr Wood said an unconditional ceasefire with Hamas means the Security Council accepts Hamas retaining power in Gaza.

State Department spokesman Matthew Miller said that there are still seven US citizens being held hostage in Gaza.

"We are not going to walk away from them. We worked in good faith for several weeks to try to get to yes on this resolution, to try to get to a resolution that we can vote for," Mr Miller told reporters.

Israel's UN ambassador Danny Danon told reporters ahead of the vote that “the resolution being considered by the Security Council today is nothing short of a betrayal”.

Algeria's UN ambassador Amar Bendjama explained that the 10 non-permanent members' position was to adopt a resolution under Chapter 7 of the UN Charter, which discusses threats to peace, and “there were significant concession during negotiations, yet one member chose to block any action from this council”.

Unlike the five permanent members – the US, Russia, China, Britain and France – the elected members have no veto power.

Slovenia's deputy ambassador Ondina Blokar Drobic stressed there must be an immediate, unconditional and permanent ceasefire and hostages must be released.

“There is an entire generation of children in Gaza that we are failing,” said Ms Drobic. "They lost their families, their communities, schools, friends, their childhood. This is a war that the council can and must stop with a united and an unequivocal demand for a cease fire. This is the first step towards achieving a comprehensive solution to the conflict, a first step to give those children a future."

Mr Bendjama warned Washington that the Security Council would soon return with a resolution with even firmer language under Chapter 7 of the UN Charter.

This was the 12th attempt by the Security Council to adopt a resolution on the continuing conflict. Of the previous 11 resolutions, only four have been approved.

Gaza City's Omari Mosque, the oldest mosque in Gaza. AFP