The United States vetoed a United Nations Security Council resolution on Wednesday that called for an "unconditional and permanent" ceasefire in the Gaza Strip, as well as the lifting of devastating restrictions on humanitarian aid.

The resolution, put forth in response to the catastrophic humanitarian crisis in Gaza, received the support of 14 of the 15 Security Council members. Only the U.S. stood in opposition.

The resolution also demanded the immediate release of all captives and an end to the systematic starvation of Gaza’s civilian population. Yet, despite overwhelming international support, Washington blocked its passage, triggering harsh criticism from human rights advocates and humanitarian organizations who argue that the U.S. is shielding Israel’s military onslaught from accountability.

U.S. Ambassador to the UN Dorothy Shea defended the veto, claiming the resolution would "undermine diplomatic efforts" and faulting it for not condemning Hamas or calling for its disarmament. She also cited the UN’s refusal to label Hamas as a terrorist organization as a key reason for the veto—despite the UN’s long-standing impartial stance in conflict mediation.

Critics, however, see the veto as a blatant obstruction of international efforts to halt what many have described as a genocide. Over 54,000 Palestinians have been killed, the vast majority of them women and children, since Israel’s military campaign began following the October 7, 2023 Hamas-led incursion into southern Israel. According to the Gaza Health Ministry, 4,201 civilians have been killed since Israel resumed its assault on March 18, 2025.

Meanwhile, more than two million people in Gaza face starvation, after Israel imposed an 11-week total blockade on food and essential aid shipments. Aid delivery remains sporadic and dangerous, especially since a controversial US- and Israel-backed organization, the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF), has assumed distribution responsibilities. Multiple deadly incidents have occurred at GHF aid points, raising serious concerns over the militarization of humanitarian assistance and the bypassing of experienced UN agencies.

Britain’s Ambassador to the UN, Barbara Woodward, backed the resolution and voiced dismay over the U.S. veto. She called the situation in Gaza “intolerable,” stressing that Israel must immediately lift its siege and allow UN agencies and humanitarian workers to "save lives, reduce suffering, and maintain dignity."

The veto has further isolated Washington diplomatically and morally, as global pressure mounts for a ceasefire in the face of one of the most severe humanitarian catastrophes of the century. Rights groups and civil society organizations are now calling for alternative avenues of action, including global sanctions, legal measures at the International Criminal Court, and a boycott of entities complicit in the blockade and mass displacement of Palestinians.

As the U.S. continues to shield Israel from global scrutiny, the cries of the people of Gaza—dispossessed, starving, and under relentless bombardment—echo louder across the international stage. (ILKHA)