US Again Veto Draft UN DK Resolution On Ceasefire In Gaza

JAKARTA - The United States on Thursday vetoed a draft United Nations Security Council resolution demanding an immediate, unconditional and permanent ceasefire in Gaza and for Israel to lift all restrictions on aid deliveries to the Palestinian territories.

The draft resolution also demands immediate, dignified, and unconditional release of all hostages held by Hamas and other groups.

This Veto occurred when the death toll in the Palestinian enclave reached 65 thousand, including more than 400 of them due to hunger and malnutrition, since October 2023.

This draft resolution is sponsored by 10 non-permanent members of the UN or E10 DK, which this time consists of Algeria, Denmark, Greece, Guyana, Pakistan, Panama, South Korea, Sierra Leone, Slovenia and Somalia, quoted from UN News, Friday, September 19.

The council consists in a total of 15 countries, of which five other countries, the United States, Britain, China, France, and Russia are permanent members with veto rights.

The draft resolution received 14 votes agreeing. This is the sixth time the US has filed a veto on the Security Council over the nearly two-year war between Israel and Palestinian militant Hamas.

"The crowd has been confirmed to have occurred in Gaza, not projected, not declared, but confirmed," Danish Ambassador to the United Nations, Christina Markus Lassen, told the council before the vote.

"Meanwhile, Israel has expanded its military operations in Gaza City, which further exacerbated the suffering of civilians. As a result, this disaster situation, the failure of humanity and humanity, has forced us to act today," he criticized.

The failure of this resolution comes amid the deepening humanitarian crisis in Gaza, while the death toll from Israeli aggression and hunger and malnutrition has grown since the latest conflict in Gaza broke out.

"Hamas is responsible for the start and the continuation of this war. Israel has accepted a proposal for a requirement that will end the war, but Hamas continues to reject it. This war could end today if Hamas releases the hostages and lays his gun," US diplomat Morgan Ortagus told the council before the vote.

Earlier, UN agencies warned of a total collapse of health services, an increase in evacuations, and an increase in the death toll from the new US-Israel privatized aid distribution system that ignores existing institutions.

"The world is watching, day after day, a terrible sight of Palestinians being shot, injured, or killed in Gaza just for trying to eat," UN aid chief Tom Fletcher said Wednesday.

It is known that the Hamas-led Palestinian militant group attack on southern Israel on October 7, 2023 killed 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and about 251 people were held hostage, according to Israeli tallies.

Israel retaliated by carrying out airstrikes, blockades, and land operations in Gaza. Both sides agreed on a temporary ceasefire that took effect from January 19 to March 18, before Israel resumed attacks and blockades in Gaza.

Last Tuesday, Israel began a ground operation targeting Gaza City, after the country's security cabinet approved last month.

Yesterday, medical authorities in Gaza confirmed that Palestinian deaths since October 2023 had reached 65,141 people, while 165,925 others were injured, quoted from WAFA.

That number included 1,060 people who died and 7,207 others injured while seeking humanitarian assistance.

Also included the death toll from hunger and malnutrition which has reached 435 people, with 147 of them children.