Vasily Nebenzia, Russia’s ambassador, criticized the US for not being able to restrain Israel and called its proposal a hypocritical show. He pointed out that the resolution failed to assess Israel’s actions and suggested that it would only protect Israel from being held accountable. The resolution linked the ceasefire to ongoing negotiations facilitated by Qatar, supported by the US and Egypt, aimed at ending the conflict in exchange for the release of hostages held by Hamas.
In response to the veto, US Ambassador Linda Thomas-Greenfield condemned Russia and China’s actions as cynical and petty. She accused them of hindering progress and stated that they were not contributing meaningfully to achieving lasting peace or addressing humanitarian concerns in the region.
The UNSC has previously passed two resolutions addressing the deteriorating humanitarian crisis in Gaza, but none specifically called for a ceasefire. In a recent session, Russia and China vetoed a resolution proposed by the US, which aimed to secure temporary halts in the conflict to facilitate aid delivery, protect civilians, and stop the arming of Hamas. The two countries argued that the resolution did not align with the global consensus calling for an immediate ceasefire.
The US, a strong supporter of Israel, has vetoed three resolutions demanding a cessation of hostilities. The most recent veto occurred on February 20, where an Arab-supported resolution, backed by 13 council members with one abstention, was blocked. Prior to this, the US had circulated its own version of a resolution, which underwent significant revisions before being voted on. The incursion by Palestinian militants into southern Israel on October 7 resulted in the deaths of approximately 1,200 individuals and the abduction of 250 others. The Health Ministry in Gaza has reported nearly 32,000 Palestinian fatalities.(With agency inputs)
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