The United States has once again stood in the way of a global call for peace. On Thursday, Washington vetoed a draft resolution at the United Nations Security Council that demanded an immediate, unconditional, and permanent ceasefire in Gaza—along with the lifting of all restrictions on desperately needed humanitarian aid.
The resolution, drafted by the 10 elected members of the 15-member council, received overwhelming support: 14 nations voted in favor. Only the US stood against it.
It was the sixth US veto since the war between Israel and Hamas erupted nearly two years ago.
Before the vote, Denmark’s UN Ambassador Christina Markus Lassen delivered a chilling warning:
“Famine has been confirmed in Gaza—not projected, not declared, confirmed. Israel has expanded its military operation in Gaza City, deepening the suffering of civilians. This humanitarian and human failure compelled us to act today.”
For many around the world, the veto was a crushing blow. It came just a week after the US took a rare step of backing a council statement condemning strikes on Qatar—without naming Israel directly. That move was seen as a sign of President Donald Trump’s frustration with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. But Thursday’s veto showed Washington’s traditional stance was unchanged: shielding Israel on the global stage.
US diplomat Morgan Ortagus defended the decision, pinning the blame squarely on Hamas:
“Hamas is responsible for starting and continuing this war. Israel has accepted terms that would end it, but Hamas rejects them. This war could end today if Hamas freed the hostages and laid down its arms.”
Israel’s UN Ambassador Danny Danon downplayed the recent tensions, admitting that while Israel disliked the Security Council statement on the Qatar strikes, its “cooperation with the US is so high” that the alliance remains intact.
The war traces back to October 7, 2023, when Hamas launched a deadly attack on Israel, killing around 1,200 people and taking 251 hostages, according to Israeli figures. Since then, the toll in Gaza has been staggering: over 64,000 people killed, most of them civilians, according to local health officials.
As bombs continue to fall and hunger grips Gaza, one fact remains clear: the world is calling for peace—yet the war rages on.
