US may back UNSC resolution demanding ceasefire as humanitarian conditions in Gaza worsen

The UN Security Council is due to vote on a resolution calling for a ceasefire in Gaza, along with the release of all hostages, and unrestricted humanitarian aid. This will be the first Gaza resolution during U.S. President Donald Trump’s second term in office.

The United States has not indicated whether it will use its veto to block the resolution as they have done in the past. With humanitarian conditions worsening in the Gaza Strip and Trump’s eagerness to bring a swift end to conflict, there may be a departure from their usual stance.

Ynet News reported that the 10 elected members of the 15-member council called in the resolution for “an immediate, unconditional and permanent ceasefire in Gaza respected by all parties,” according to diplomats and a draft reviewed by Reuters.

The resolution also calls for the immediate release of hostages and the removal of all obstacles to humanitarian aid entering Gaza, urging large-scale, secure distribution in coordination with the UN.

For a UN resolution to pass, it must receive at least nine votes in favor and no vetoes from any of the five permanent members: the United States, Russia, China, the United Kingdom, and France.

Danny Danon, Israel’s UN ambassador, has expressed his objections, saying, “Now is the time to exert pressure on Hamas and not on Israel,” and dismissed the resolution as counterproductive, according to Ynet.

Israeli officials have been lobbying Washington to block the resolution, fearing that with Hamas now weakened, the resolution could undermine the opportunity to decisively defeat the terror group.

However, following the horrifying Hamas attack that gunned down Gazans trying to get aid, tolerance for the status quo is running out.

UN spokesperson Stéphane Dujarric urged, “Civilians are risking and in several instances losing their lives to get food,” describing the current aid distribution as “a recipe for disaster.”

One of the backers of the resolution, Slovenian Ambassador Samuel Žbogar, insisted on reaching a ceasefire, come what may.

“There is a rising anxiousness in the council that it has to move one way or the other – either there is a ceasefire, or the council then reflects on what else we can do to bring [about a] ceasefire,” he said.

The U.S.-backed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF) said it is urging the Israeli military to implement safety measures to protect civilians near aid sites following reports that crowds were fired upon in Rafah (by Hamas).

Ynet reported that GHF had asked the IDF to direct foot traffic in the proximity of distribution centers, give clearer instructions to civilians, and offer additional training to prevent escalations. “Our top priority remains ensuring the safety and dignity of civilians receiving aid,” a GHF spokesperson said.

An IDF spokesperson described GHF-operated facilities as “combat zones,” and urged caution in approaching them.

Meanwhile, White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles met with families of hostages in Washington for the first time since Oct. 7, 2023, assuring them, “We are committed to securing the release of all hostages,” according to a White House official.

While the U.S. administration has demonstrated a determination to get the hostages back and an end to the conflict, a decision not to block the resolution could represent a significant change in U.S. policy.