US expected to block Gaza ceasefire vote at UNSC

The UN Security Council will vote Wednesday on a resolution calling for a ceasefire and unrestricted humanitarian access in Gaza, a measure expected to fail due to a US veto.

It is the 15-member body's first vote on the subject since November, when the United States, a key Israeli ally, also blocked a text calling for an end to fighting.

The new resolution "demands an immediate, unconditional and permanent ceasefire in Gaza respected by all parties."

It also calls for the "immediate, dignified and unconditional release of all hostages held by Hamas and other groups."

Underlining a "catastrophic humanitarian situation" in the Palestinian territory, the resolution additionally demands the lifting of all restrictions on the entry of humanitarian aid into Gaza.

It will be put to vote at 4:00 pm Wednesday (2000 GMT), but several diplomats indicated to AFP that they expected the US to wield its veto power. They added that the representatives from the 10 elected members of the Council, who will introduce the text, tried in vain to negotiate with the American side. The veto, if applied, would be the first by Washington since US President Donald Trump took office in January.

Israel has faced growing international pressure to end its war in Gaza, which was triggered by the unprecedented October 7, 2023 attack by Hamas on Israeli soil. That scrutiny has increased over flailing aid distribution in Gaza, which Israel blocked for more than two months before allowing a small number of UN vehicles to enter in mid-May.

A US-backed relief effort called the Gaza Humanitarian Fund (GHF) has also come under criticism for going against long-standing aid principles by coordinating relief efforts with a military belligerent.