US Vetoes UN Gaza Ceasefire Resolution

The U.S. on Wednesday vetoed a draft UN security council resolution demanding "an immediate and permanent ceasefire in Gaza."

This was the first time the U.S. used its veto power to blocks UN security council resolutions on the war in Gaza during the second Trump administration.

The U.S. is the lone member voting against the resolution, with the other 14 member states voting in favor of it.

The resolution is not conditioned on releasing the remaining 58 hostages held by Hamas, including four Americans.

The draft security council resolution expressed "grave concern over the catastrophic humanitarian situation" in Gaza, and demanded the "immediate and unconditional lifting of all restrictions on the entry of humanitarian aid into Gaza."

The draft supported the efforts of the Trump administration, Egypt and Qatar to reach a new ceasefire agreement, and demanded "the immediate, dignified and unconditional release of all hostages held by Hamas and other groups."

Acting U.S. ambassador to the UN Dorothy Shea said after the vote that the draft resolution didn't condemn Hamas, didn't call it to disarm and didn't call on it to leave Gaza.

She stressed Hamas rejected several U.S. proposals for a hostage and ceasefire deal. "We can't allow the security council to rewards Hamas' intransigence," Shea said.

The U.S. representative also said the draft resolution "draws false equivalence" between Israel and Hamas and stressed it undermines the U.S. efforts to reach a ceasefire deal.

The U.S., Qatar and Egypt have been pressing Hamas in recent days to revise its initial response to the most recent U.S. proposal for a ceasefire and hostage deal.