The U.S. on Thursday vetoed a U.N. Security Council draft resolution calling for an “immediate, unconditional and permanent” cease-fire in Gaza.
The draft resolution expressed “grave concern at Israel's ongoing expansion of its military operation in Gaza and the deepening of the suffering of civilians as a result.”
It called on Israeli authorities to immediately reverse their decision to further the military operation in Gaza and rejected “any attempt at demographic or territorial change” in the enclave.
Denmark proposed the draft resolution on behalf of the Security Council's elected 10 members – Algeria, Denmark, Greece, Guyana, Pakistan, Panama, South Korea, Sierra Leone, Slovenia and Somalia – and it received 14 votes.
Before the vote, Denmark’s U.N. envoy, Christina Markus Lassen, said, “Today we'll take action on an important resolution. It focuses on three urgent and immediate demands; demands that many member states have made time and time again, no more and no less.”
“The sole intent of this resolution is to ease suffering and contribute to the end of this abhorrent war,” she added, urging all council members to vote in favor.
U.S. Deputy Special Presidential Envoy to the Middle East Morgan Ortagus said Washington’s “opposition to this resolution will come as no surprise.”
Claiming the draft resolution “fails to recognize the reality on the ground that there has been a meaningful increase in the flow of humanitarian aid,” Ortagus repeatedly expressed support for Israel and disputed U.N. reports of starvation in Gaza.
The resolution expressed “deep alarm by the IPC report confirming that famine is currently occurring in Gaza Governorate and is projected to expand to Deir al-Balah and Khan Younis governorates by the end of September,” and it “strongly condemned any use of starvation of civilians as a method of warfare.”
It demanded Israel “immediately and unconditionally” lift all restrictions on the entry of humanitarian aid into Gaza and noted the need to ensure “safe and unhindered distribution to the population in need of such assistance.”
The resolution also reiterated calls for the “immediate, dignified and unconditional release of all hostages held by Hamas and other groups.”
The U.S. previously vetoed five Security Council draft resolutions calling for an urgent cease-fire in Gaza since Oct. 7, 2023, making Thursday’s resolution the sixth.
The U.S. vetoed resolutions in October 2023, December 2023, February 2024, November 2024 and June 2025, while abstaining on other draft resolutions.
Israel’s ongoing war in Gaza has killed more than 65,000 Palestinians since October 2023 and devastated the enclave, which now faces famine.
Israel is also facing a genocide case at the International Court of Justice over its war in the territory.
