US vetoes UNSC Gaza ceasefire resolution

KABUL (Pajhwok): The US has vetoed a United Nations Security Council resolution calling for an immediate, unconditional, and permanent ceasefire in Gaza.

The US was the only member of the 15-member council to vote against the measure on Wednesday, while the other 14 members supported it, Al Jazeera reported.

The resolution also demanded the release of Israeli captives held in Gaza. However, Washington dismissed it as a “non-starter,” arguing that the ceasefire demand was not directly linked to the captives’ release.

Before the vote, Acting US Ambassador Dorothy Shea clearly expressed her country’s opposition to the resolution, which was sponsored by 10 council members, saying this stance “should come as no surprise.”

China’s Ambassador Fu Cong condemned Israel’s actions, stating they have “crossed every red line” of international humanitarian law and seriously violated UN resolutions.

“Yet, due to shielding by one country, these violations have neither been stopped nor held accountable,” he added.

Meanwhile, health officials in Gaza reported that at least 95 Palestinians were killed and more than 440 injured on Wednesday.

sa