US blocks UN security council resolution on 'immediate' ceasefire in Gaza

Tengrinews.kz - The United States vetoed a UN Security Council resolution calling for an 'immediate and unconditional ceasefire' between Israel and Hamas in Gaza, citing opposition to the unconditional nature of the proposal, reports Euronews.
The resolution also demanded the 'immediate and unconditional release of all hostages'.

"Hamas still holds seven American citizens hostage. We will not forget them. We will continue to pursue a diplomatic solution that ensures peace, security, and freedom for Palestinians in Gaza," stated Robert A. Wood, the US Deputy Permanent Representative to the UN.

Wood argued that passing the resolution would send a dangerous signal to Hamas that there is no need to return to negotiations. He emphasized that the US would only support a resolution that explicitly calls for the immediate release of hostages as part of the ceasefire.

"We have made it clear that we cannot support an unconditional ceasefire without the release of hostages. A lasting cessation of hostilities must be accompanied by their release. These two urgent objectives are inseparable. This resolution does not address that necessity, and for this reason, the US cannot support it," he explained.

Israel's UN Ambassador Danny Danon thanked the US for its veto, describing the resolution as a 'roadmap to further terror, suffering, and bloodshed'.
Meanwhile, several UN Security Council members criticized the US veto.
Israel has been conducting operations in Gaza against Hamas following a deadly terrorist attack in October 2023 that claimed the lives of 1,200 civilians and resulted in hostage takings. According to Palestinian health authorities operating under Hamas control, over 44,000 people have been killed in Gaza since the start of the conflict.