US Blocks UNSC Resolution Calling for Gaza Cease-fire, Release of Hostages

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Facts

  • The US vetoed a UN Security Council (UNSC) resolution calling for a cease-fire in Gaza and the release of Israeli hostages on Wednesday, saying that the resolution's wording did not explicitly link the release of hostages to a cease-fire. The US was the only UNSC member to vote against the resolution.[1]
  • This was the fourth time the US has blocked a resolution calling for a cease-fire in Gaza. Israel's ambassador to the UN Danny Danon thanked the US for the move. The State of Palestine’s deputy UN envoy Majed Bamya said that a cease-fire would allow all lives to be saved.[2]
  • The resolution was reportedly negotiated for weeks beforehand to achieve American support. In June, the US backed a UNSC resolution that supported its three-phase cease-fire proposal to end the war in Gaza.[3][4]
  • The vote comes as the humanitarian situation in Gaza, especially the north, continues to deteriorate. The UN said on Wednesday that virtually no aid had reached parts of northern Gaza in 40 days, 'diminishing conditions for survival.'[5]
  • Axios reported on Wednesday that Israel sent the US a letter claiming that it has no intention to forcibly displace or starve Palestinians in northern Gaza. At least 55K Palestinians fled Jabalia after Israel launched an offensive in the area last month.[6]
  • The UN and other international agencies have warned that Palestinians in northern Gaza are facing famine. Residents and medical workers in northern Gaza have said Israeli forces have attacked a hospital and destroyed dozens of houses.[7][8]

Sources: [1]Reuters (a), [2]Al Jazeera, [3]New York Times, [4]Meetings Coverage and Press Releases (a), [5]BBC News, [6]Axios, [7]Meetings Coverage and Press Releases (b) and [8]Reuters (b).

Narratives

  • Pro-establishment narrative, as provided by FOX News. It is simply undeniable that the war in Gaza has taken a terrible toll on its population, and the US is committed to alleviating that suffering. Nonetheless, the UN has failed to adequately address Israeli hostages who are also suffering. The only way to assist the Palestinians in Gaza is to work toward a cease-fire that is conditioned on the release of the hostages and the end of Hamas' rule.
  • Pro-Israel narrative, as provided by Jerusalem Post. The UN and other Hamas enablers continue to spread the lie that Israel is purposefully causing a famine in Gaza. At every turn, the UN has worked to undermine Israel's security, at times even turning a blind eye to the terrorist groups Israel is confronting. Indeed, the blame for Gaza's destruction squarely falls on Hamas and its enablers.
  • Pro-Palestine narrative, as provided by Middle East Eye. Israel continues to isolate itself internationally due to its genocidal campaign in Gaza and its insidious aggression against Lebanon. As Israeli attacks kill thousands, the US continues to shield Israel from accountability and ensure that it is armed to the teeth. This war will only end when the US ends its support for Israel's genocidal ambitions in Gaza and the wider region.