In an attempt to isolate itself diplomatically while defending its partner, the United States on Friday vetoed a UN Security Council proposal for an immediate humanitarian truce in the conflict between Israel and the Palestinian militant organization Hamas in Gaza.
The United Arab Emirates had proposed a brief draft resolution, which was supported by thirteen members while Britain abstained. The vote followed a rare effort on Wednesday by U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres to formally alert the 15-member council to the global threat posed by the two-month-long battle. A ceasefire is opposed by Israel and the United States because they think it will only help Hamas. Instead, Washington is in favor of military truces that shield civilians and permit the release of captives that Hamas kidnapped during its lethal raid on Israel on October 7.
Significant changes were made to the draft resolution by the United States, among them a denunciation of the Oct. 7 Hamas attacks, which Israel claims resulted in 1,200 deaths and the kidnapping of 240 persons. Barbara Woodward, the ambassador of Britain to the United Nations, stated that her nation refrained from voting since Hamas was not denounced.
As it retaliates against Hamas, the U.S. prioritizes its own diplomacy over measures taken by the Security Council to secure the release of other captives and put pressure on Israel to better safeguard civilians in Gaza. On Thursday, however, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken admitted that there was a "gap" between Israel's intention to protect civilians and the actual situation. Over 17,480 individuals have died, according to Gaza's Health Ministry. Israel has begun a land offensive, enforced a siege, and pounded Gaza from the air. The 2.3 million Palestinians living in the Palestinian enclave have been forced from their homes for the most part.
