Fri Sep 19 03:40:00 UTC 2025: ## US Vetoes UN Ceasefire Resolution for Gaza, Sparking Outrage and Accusations of Bias
**New York, NY** – The United States has vetoed a United Nations Security Council resolution calling for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza, drawing condemnation from Palestinian officials and other member states. The resolution, supported by 14 of the 15 council members, demanded an “immediate, unconditional and permanent ceasefire” alongside the release of hostages held by Hamas and the lifting of restrictions on humanitarian aid entering the besieged enclave.
The move comes as Israel intensifies its military offensive on Gaza City, despite growing international concern over the humanitarian catastrophe unfolding in the region. Palestinian health officials estimate that over 65,000 people have been killed in Gaza during the nearly two years of war.
The US defended its veto, with Deputy Special Envoy to the Middle East Morgan Ortagus stating that the resolution “fails to condemn Hamas or recognise Israel’s right to defend itself” and “wrongly legitimises the false narratives benefitting Hamas.”
Palestinian Ambassador to the UN Riyad Mansour decried the veto as “deeply regrettable,” accusing the US of preventing the Security Council from fulfilling its role in protecting civilians in the face of potential “genocide.”
The vote triggered an emotional response from Algerian Ambassador to the UN Amar Bendjama, who apologized to the Palestinian people. “Palestinian brothers, Palestinian sisters, forgive us,” he said. “Forgive us, because the world speaks of rights, but denies them to Palestinians.”
The resolution also highlighted the dire humanitarian situation in Gaza. Danish Ambassador to the UN Christina Markus Lassen described the grim reality of “desperate mothers are forced to boil leaves to feed their children, fathers search the rubble for sustenance.”
Meanwhile, Israeli Ambassador to the United Nations, Danny Danon, thanked the US for its veto, stating that Israel needed “no justification” for its war on Gaza and will “continue to fight Hamas.”
James Bays, Al Jazeera’s diplomatic editor, noted the significance of the veto on the UN’s 80th anniversary, saying the US was taking an “America-first view of the world”, while many countries championed “multilateral diplomacy” in the region.
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