US to veto UN resolution calling for Gaza ceasefire, Israeli official says

The United States has informed Israel that it will later today veto a United Nations Security Council resolution calling for a ceasefire, release of the hostages and surge of humanitarian aid into the Strip, an Israeli official says.

The US believes that the resolution does not adequately lay blame on Hamas for the ongoing conflict and it will not complement the Trump administration’s ongoing efforts to secure a ceasefire and hostage release deal in Gaza, the Israeli official tells The Times of Israel, confirming reporting by the Axios news site.

The US also believes that the resolution’s demand for the resumption of aid distribution by the UN, which Washington fears will undercut the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation efforts on the ground, which are aimed at preventing Hamas from diverting aid.

The vote marks the first time since US President Donald Trump took office that the UNSC will discuss a substantive resolution related to the war in Gaza, according to the office of Israeli Ambassador to the UN Danny Danon.

Danon will state during the session that “anyone who supports a one-sided and biased resolution is effectively providing aid to Hamas,” his office adds.

“Instead of pressuring Hamas to accept the framework currently on the table, there are those who believe international pressure will stop Israel. Our message is clear: No discussion or resolution will cause us to leave the hostages behind,” he continues in the statement.