The United States has vetoed a UN Security Council resolution that called for an immediate, unconditional and permanent ceasefire in Gaza, on the grounds it would not have secured the release of hostages.
Despite having secured 14 votes in favour, the draft resolution put forward by the 10 elected members of the Security Council (E10), failed to pass owing to the negative vote by a permanent member, the US.
The text also reiterated the Council's demand for the immediate and unconditional release of all hostages.
"We made clear throughout negotiations we could not support an unconditional ceasefire that failed to release the hostages. Because, as this council has previously called for, a durable end to the war must come with the release of the hostages," Deputy US Ambassador to the UN Robert Wood said following the veto Wednesday.
"These two urgent goals are inextricably linked. This resolution abandoned that necessity, and for that reason, the United States could not support it," Wood added.
For his part, Algeria's permanent representative to the UN Ambassador Amar Bendjama said "It is a sad day for the Security Council, for the United Nations and the international community as a whole."
It has been five months since the adoption of resolution 2735, he added.
"There were significant concessions during negotiations, yet one member chose to block any action any action from this council," he said.
"Today's message is clear to the Israeli occupying power -- you may continue your genocide ... with complete impunity. In this Chamber, you enjoy immunity," Bendjama said.
"To the Palestinian people, it is another clear message -- while the overwhelming majority of the world stands in solidarity with your plight, others remain indifferent to your suffering," he added.
The Russian envoy Vassily Nebenzia said that the Council could have called today for an immediate, unconditional, and sustainable ceasefire in Gaza, as well as the immediate and unconditional release of all hostages. He added that it is absurd that the United States stands in the way of demanding such necessary actions to save lives in the worlds worst humanitarian crisis.
Majed Bamya, deputy permanent observer of the State of Palestine, said that the Israeli comprehensive aggression on the Palestinian people is about everything except the hostages, as is clear to their families. Bamia added that a ceasefire will not solve everything, but it is the first step toward solving anything.
Bamia further said that Israel's goals of destroying the Palestinian nation are not hidden, yet the tools designed to respond to these actions are not being used. He affirmed that the role of Security Council resolutions is to change the reality on the ground, not to record violations for historical purposes and then allow them to continue.
