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United Nations Security Council to Vote on Gaza Draft
The United Nations Security Council is preparing to hold another vote today, Thursday, on a draft resolution calling for a ceasefire in Gaza and the facilitation of humanitarian aid entry into the besieged and devastated territory. This move enjoys the support of the majority of member states, which are trying to activate their efforts to address the ongoing war that has lasted for more than 23 months, despite the repeated use of the U.S. veto.
In late August, Member States began discussions on the draft resolution following the official UN declaration of a famine in Gaza. The original text called for the immediate removal of all obstacles hindering aid delivery.
However, diplomatic sources indicated that France and the United Kingdom expressed doubts about the feasibility of a purely humanitarian resolution issued by a council primarily aimed at maintaining international peace and security—something that the United States could again block through the use of its veto.
Accordingly, the draft resolution obtained by Agence France-Presse (AFP) calls for an end to restrictions on humanitarian aid entry, alongside an "immediate, unconditional, and lasting ceasefire in Gaza," and the immediate, unconditional release of hostages.
The United States has previously blocked similar resolutions using its veto, most recently in June, when it protected its ally Israel from voting.
Many question the effectiveness of the Security Council’s attempt to revive the initiative, especially given the expectation that obstacles will remain, notably the likely U.S. veto that could prevent the resolution’s approval.
In response, a European diplomat noted that "doing nothing is the easiest option for the Americans, who would not be required to justify their positions before the 14 other members of the council or the international public opinion." He emphasized that "these measures do not serve the Palestinians much, but at least they show that we are trying," according to AFP.
Previous veto statements have sparked increasing frustration among the other 14 Security Council members, who are expressing growing disappointment over the failure to pressure Israel to end the suffering of Gaza’s residents.
Israel faces mounting international pressure to end the war that erupted after Hamas’s attack on October 7, 2023, which resulted in the deaths of over 65,000 Palestinians, mostly civilians. Meanwhile, the majority of Gaza’s more than two million residents have been displaced, and Israel has maintained a blockade since the conflict began.
Despite efforts to improve the situation, only a limited amount of humanitarian aid has reached the territory, with a slight easing of the blockade at the end of May, following Israel’s restrictions introduced in March 2025. UN experts confirmed in August that famine had begun to spread across parts of Gaza, though Israel denies this and accuses Hamas of stealing aid.
In a related context, a UN committee accused Israel of committing "genocide" in Gaza, in a report Israel described as "biased and misleading." In 2024, the International Criminal Court issued arrest warrants against Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant, accusing them of committing war crimes and crimes against humanity.
