TRANSCRIPT
As the humanitarian situation in Gaza is rapidly deteriorating and the threat of famine looms amid Israel's military assault, the international community has turned - once again - to the United Nations for action.
The UN Security Council called a vote on a resolution demanding an immediate and permanent ceasefire between Israel and Hamas in Gaza and unhindered aid access to the enclave.
"Will those in favour of the draft resolution please raise your hand. Those against? The result of the voting is as follows, 14 votes in favour, 1 vote against. The draft resolution has not been adopted owing to the negative vote of a permanent member of the council."
That member of the council is the United States, who has now vetoed for the fifth time a Security Council resolution on a Gaza ceasefire since October 7, 2023.
Acting US Ambassador to the UN, Dorothy Shea, says their decision should come as no surprise.
"The United States has been clear. We would not support any measure that fails to condemn Hamas and does not call for Hamas to disarm and leave Gaza. Engaging in this peformative process at a time when serious questions are being asked about the utility of the U-N, its funding and use of resources is shameful. This council must hold itself to a higher standard."
The draft Security Council resolution also demanded the immediate and unconditional release of all hostages held by Hamas and other groups.
Russia, China, France and the United Kingdom voted in favour of the resolution, alongside all non-permanent members of the council.
Barbara Woodward, the United Kingdom's permanent representative to the UN, says the devastation in Gaza must end now - and hostages taken during Hamas's 2023 attack on Israel must be released.
"The United Kingdom voted in favour of this resolution because the intolerable situation in Gaza needs to end. We are determined to see an end to this war, secure the release of the hostages held by Hamas, and alleviate the catastrophic humanitarian situation for Palestinians in Gaza."
In Gaza, a humanitarian crisis grips the enclave of more than 2 million people, as Israel continues to severely limit the entry of food and medicine into the region.
On Wednesday, a Palestinian grandmother, Zeinab Abed, went to a soup kitchen in Gaza City to get food for her grandchildren.
But the 69-year-old says there wasn’t any food left for her to take after some two hours of waiting.
"What will the children eat? How are the children going to eat and stay alive without food? My daughter died of malnutrition, from where do we get food for people? We were told to come take food from the soup kitchen and now the food is finished. How are these children going to live?"
Since 1970, the US has used its veto power more than any other permanent member, most frequently to block decisions it sees as detrimental to the interests of Israel.
But since the devastating Israeli assault on Gaza which - according to local health authorities - has killed more than 55,000 Palestinians, criticisms of these veto actions has escalated.
A United Nations Special Committee, Amnesty International, and other experts and human rights organisations have argued that Israel's actions in Gaza constitute a genocide, something Israel unequivocally denies.
Pakistan's Ambassador to the UN, Asim Iftikhar Ahmad, says the world expects action from the Security Council.
"This failure will not go down in records as a mere procedural footnote. It will be remembered as a complicity, a green light for continued annihilation, a moment where the entire world was expecting action. But yet again, this council was blocked and prevented by one member from carrying out its responsibility."
US representative Dorothy Shea called this statement from Pakistan's representatives disturbing and false.
"Madame President, I would like to respond to a disturbing comment made by a member. And I just want to reiterate that Israel has a right to defend itself, and it has taken numerous measures to limit harm to civilians and address humanitarian needs. The loss of civilian life in Gaza is tragic. We all mourn this. But the responsibility for this rests with Hamas, which could stop the fighting today by freeing the hostages and agreeing to the ceasefire terms already accepted by Israel."
Palestinian group Hamas has also condemned the US veto, describing it as showing what they call "the US administration's blind bias" towards Israel.
