US stands alone in Security Council veto on Gaza ceasefire demand

In a stark display of diplomatic isolation, the United States vetoed a draft United Nations Security Council resolution on Thursday that would have demanded an immediate, unconditional and permanent ceasefire in Gaza, alongside the lifting of all Israeli restrictions on humanitarian aid deliveries to the war-torn Palestinian enclave.

The resolution, spearheaded by the Council’s 10 elected non-permanent members – Algeria, Denmark, Greece, Guyana, Pakistan, Panama, the Republic of Korea, Sierra Leone, Slovenia and Somalia – also called for the immediate, dignified and unconditional release of all hostages held by Hamas and other militant groups. It garnered a resounding 14 votes in favor, with only the U.S. casting the lone negative vote among the 15-member body.

This marked the sixth time the U.S. has wielded its veto power in the Security Council since the war erupted nearly two years ago, underscoring Washington’s unwavering shield for its ally Israel even as famine grips Gaza and civilian suffering mounts.

The unified front of the non-permanent members highlighted a rare consensus among diverse nations – from African representatives Sierra Leone and Algeria, to Asian voices like Pakistan and South Korea, and European and Latin American states including Denmark, Greece, Slovenia, Guyana and Panama.

These countries, often bridging Global South and Western perspectives, framed the resolution as a moral imperative driven by the escalating humanitarian catastrophe.

“This is not just a call for action; it is a demand for humanity,” said Guyana’s U.N. Ambassador Trishala Simantini Persaud in a joint statement ahead of the vote, emphasizing the elected members’ shared commitment to ending the blockade and enabling aid at scale.

Slovenia’s Chargé d’affaires Ondina Blokar Drobic echoed this, noting that the text was crafted to address “the irrefutable famine confirmed across Gaza,” urging Israel to reverse its restrictions immediately.

Denmark’s U.N. Ambassador Christina Markus Lassen, speaking on behalf of the group before the vote, painted a grim picture of the crisis. “Famine has been confirmed in Gaza—not projected, not declared, confirmed,” she told the Council, her voice steady but laced with urgency.

The UNSC’s 10 elected members tabled a resolution demanding:
• An immediate, unconditional and permanent ceasefire
• The immediate and unconditional release of all hostages
• Immediate, safe and unhindered humanitarian aid at scale
Regrettably, that resolution was vetoed. pic.twitter.com/7lezdHfObV
— Denmark in UN NY🇩🇰 (@Denmark_UN) September 18, 2025

“Meanwhile, Israel has expanded its military operation in Gaza City, further deepening the suffering of civilians. As a result, it is this catastrophic situation, this humanitarian and human failure, that has compelled us to act today.”

Lassen’s remarks captured the collective frustration of the 10 sponsors, who had collaborated for weeks to produce a balanced text condemning the 7 October 2023 Hamas attacks while prioritizing civilian protection and hostage release.

Post-vote, she reiterated the bloc’s resolve: “Even though this resolution was not adopted today… 14 members of this Council have sent a clear message. We want to see an immediate and lasting ceasefire, the immediate and unconditional release of all hostages, and the urgent lifting of all restrictions on humanitarian aid.”

Gaza City and surrounding areas are officially suffering from famine, a determination by a global hunger monitor last month that has since spread, with projections indicating it will engulf Deir al-Balah and Khan Yunis by month’s end. Nearly 1.5 million people face emergency or crisis levels of food insecurity, while the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs warns that the last civilian lifelines in Gaza City are collapsing under intensified Israeli operations.

The U.S. veto amplified perceptions of American isolation on the issue, as even its traditional European partners – France, the United Kingdom and the Republic of Korea- joined the chorus of 14 in favor. This alignment of the four other permanent members (China, France, Russia and the UK) with the non-permanent bloc left the U.S. as the sole dissenter, a dynamic that has fuelled accusations of Council paralysis and emboldened critics who argue the veto perpetuates impunity.

“The United States’ repeated use of the veto has dashed the hopes of Gaza’s people for survival,” China’s U.N. Ambassador Fu Cong stated post-vote, echoing sentiments from Russia and others who decried the decision as a “green light” for prolonged conflict.

France’s Ambassador Jérôme Bonnafont lamented the outcome as a missed opportunity for the Council to “shoulder its responsibility,” while the UK’s representative urged renewed diplomatic urgency.

In the broader context, the vote exposed deepening rifts, with non-permanent members like Pakistan’s Ambassador Asim Iftikhar Ahmad decrying the veto as “counter-intuitive” amid stalled U.S.-led negotiations, and Algeria’s Ambassador Amar Bendjama offering a poignant apology to Palestinians: “Forgive us, brothers and sisters.”

The United States has long shielded Israel at the United Nations, but a rare divergence last week saw Washington back a Council statement condemning recent strikes on Qatar – though it stopped short of naming Israel as responsible. That gesture aligned with U.S. President Donald Trump’s reported displeasure over the attack ordered by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

Yet Thursday’s veto signalled a swift return to staunch diplomatic protection, with U.S. Deputy Special Envoy to the Middle East Morgan Ortagus defending the move before the vote.

“Hamas is responsible for starting and continuing this war. Israel has accepted proposed terms that would end the war, but Hamas continues to reject them. This war could end today if Hamas freed the hostages and laid down its arms,” Ortagus said, arguing the resolution failed to sufficiently condemn Hamas or link the ceasefire to hostage release and disarmament.

As the veto reverberates, expectations are mounting for the upcoming UN General Assembly to deliver breakthroughs on Palestine, particularly amid a surge in diplomatic momentum for a two-state solution. Just days ago, the Assembly overwhelmingly endorsed the “New York Declaration” – sponsored by France and Saudi Arabia and backed by 142 member states – outlining “tangible, timebound and irreversible steps” to end the Gaza war and implement a just settlement.

The non-binding text explicitly condemns the 7 October Hamas attacks, demands the release of all hostages, and calls for Hamas to relinquish control of Gaza, surrender weapons to the Palestinian Authority, and cede governance to a reformed, Hamas-free administration. It envisions a transitional international stabilization mission under Security Council mandate to safeguard civilians and bolster Palestinian institutions.

This declaration, opposed by only 10 nations including the U.S. and Israel, sets the stage for a special summit on 22 September, where Britain, France, Canada, Australia and Belgium are poised to formally recognize a Palestinian state. “We will recognize Palestine in September unless Israel ends the appalling situation in Gaza,” UK Foreign Secretary David Lammy declared recently, a stance echoed by French President Emmanuel Macron and others.

Proponents see these moves as a direct counter to U.S. isolation in the Security Council, aiming to isolate holdouts like Germany and Italy while pressuring for a ceasefire and reconstruction plan.

With Reuters, edited by g.g.

Caption: U.S. Deputy Special Envoy to the Middle East Morgan Ortagus vetoes a draft United Nations Security Council resolution on 18 September 2025 that would have demanded an immediate, unconditional and permanent ceasefire in Gaza, alongside the lifting of all Israeli restrictions on humanitarian aid deliveries to the war-torn Palestinian enclave. [X]