The United States on Wednesday vetoed a United Nations Security Council resolution demanding an “immediate, unconditional and permanent ceasefire” in Gaza, as global pressure mounts to stop the war and address the humanitarian crisis.

Despite overwhelming support from the other 14 Security Council members, Acting U.S. Ambassador Dorothy Shea defended the veto by arguing the draft “fails to condemn Hamas” or call for its disarmament and withdrawal from Gaza. Shea added that the resolution would have undermined U.S.-led ceasefire talks already underway with Israeli backing.

Humanitarian Crisis Deepens as U.N. Pushes Back

The veto comes as Gaza faces catastrophic conditions. Israeli airstrikes on Wednesday killed at least 45 Palestinians, while humanitarian agencies report severe aid shortfalls. “Open the crossings—all of them,” pleaded U.N. aid chief Tom Fletcher, citing delays, restrictions, and lawlessness as key obstacles.

The U.N. continues to reject cooperation with the U.S.-backed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF), accusing it of militarizing aid and forcibly displacing civilians. The GHF, jointly supported by Israel and the U.S., reported halting operations temporarily due to safety concerns after a deadly incident near a distribution site.

Divisions Over Aid Delivery Models

While the U.S. defends GHF as an “efficient alternative,” humanitarian groups insist it lacks neutrality and puts civilians at risk. Shea admitted “no one wants to see Palestinian civilians go hungry or thirsty,” but said the new system avoids the “disastrous shortcomings” of past U.N.-led efforts.

Still, GHF's exclusion from major aid networks has stoked diplomatic tension. U.S. allies Britain and Slovenia criticized Israeli military restrictions as “disproportionate and unjustifiable,” with calls intensifying for a broader diplomatic response.

Ceasefire Deadlock Moves to General Assembly

With the U.S. veto blocking Security Council action, a similar resolution is expected to be introduced in the U.N. General Assembly, where no country holds veto power. Diplomats believe the measure will pass, but it would carry no binding force.

Israel’s U.N. Ambassador Danny Danon lashed out at the vote’s supporters: “You chose appeasement. You chose a road that leads not to peace, but to more terror.”