UN Security Council Postpones Vote on Gaza Hostilities Following US Objections

The United Nations Security Council has postponed a vote on a draft resolution calling for a sustainable cessation of hostilities in Gaza as the United States objects to the wording. The US expressed its inability to support a reference to a cessation of hostilities but indicated that it might accept a call for a suspension of hostilities. The Arab countries negotiating the resolution have noted the US’s efforts to find acceptable wording, which is seen as a departure from previous resolutions that the US had vetoed. Divisions within the US administration over the Israeli-Palestinian conflict are growing, with some officials suggesting that the US is failing to understand the global disillusionment with its perceived hypocrisy. Despite the US lobbying efforts, the Israeli government has shown limited willingness to change its military tactics. The potential support for a suspension of hostilities from the US at the UN would be a significant signal of US frustration with Israel. Previously, the US has rejected cessation of hostilities resolutions at the Security Council due to the lack of explicit criticism of Hamas for its attacks on Israelis. The latest draft resolution prepared by the United Arab Emirates condemns all acts of terrorism and calls for the unconditional release of hostages. The US has faced mounting pressure following a vote in the UN General Assembly, which called for an urgent cessation of hostilities. However, General Assembly votes are expressions of world opinion and do not hold the same legal weight as Security Council resolutions. In Gaza, a hospital that was raided by Israeli troops is now non-functional, further endangering the already collapsing health services in the area. Patients, including infants, were evacuated after Israeli forces reportedly used a bulldozer to break into the Kamal Adwan hospital. Israeli authorities claim that the hospital was being used by Hamas fighters. In another development, Iranian-backed Houthi militants in Yemen have increased their attacks on vessels in the Red Sea as a show of support for Hamas. These attacks targeted a crucial trade route that utilizes the Suez Canal, forcing some shipping companies to reroute their vessels.