Gaza ceasefire vote rolls on in UN Security Council despite US opposition

New York, New York - Despite opposition from the US government, the UN Security Council said it still plans to hold a Gaza war ceasefire vote on Tuesday.

The UN Security Council discussed war in the Middle East at UN headquarters in New York last month.
The UN Security Council discussed war in the Middle East at UN headquarters in New York last month.  © CHARLY TRIBALLEAU / AFP

The new draft resolution requested by Algeria and others will be put to a vote at 10:30 AM at the UN's New York headquarters, the organized confirmed.

Given concerns about a possible major Israeli offensive on the city of Rafah in southern Gaza, the vote increases pressure on the US, Israel's top ally.

US Ambassador Linda Thomas-Greenfield had declared that the US would once again use its veto power in the Security Council and a vote should be held.

Women's March draws thousands to Washington DC ahead of election: "We're not going back"
Abortion Rights Women's March draws thousands to Washington DC ahead of election: "We're not going back"

The US has said it wants to prevent a vote in order not to jeopardize important negotiations between Israel and the Palestinian extremist organization Hamas, which attacked Israel on October 7. Like previous texts opposed by Israel and the United States, the new text does not condemn the attack by Hamas.

Observers have said, however, that Washington does not want to be seen as an enabler of Israel's increasingly criticized war tactics.

In October and December, despite international pressure over Gaza's growing humanitarian crisis, Washington vetoed texts calling for a ceasefire.

The Security Council has adopted two resolutions on Gaza, including one calling for large-scale delivery of humanitarian aid to the Palestinian territory but stops short of calling for a ceasefire.

The Hamas-run Health Ministry in the territory said on Monday more than 29,000 Palestinians have been killed in the Gaza Strip since the beginning of the war with Israel, and more than 69,000 people injured.

While the figures cannot be independently verified, the United Nations and other observers consider them reliable. According to UN estimates, the majority of those killed have been women and children.

Cover photo: CHARLY TRIBALLEAU / AFP

More on Israel-Gaza War: