UN Security Council Set to Vote on Gaza Ceasefire Resolution Amid Worsening Humanitarian Crisis

The United Nations Security Council is set to vote Wednesday on a critical resolution demanding “an immediate, unconditional and permanent ceasefire in Gaza,” as the humanitarian crisis intensifies in the territory. The resolution, drafted by the ten current elected members of the council, also reaffirms the demand for the release of all hostages taken by Hamas and affiliated groups during the October 7, 2023 attack that triggered the ongoing conflict.

The proposed measure comes at a time of profound suffering for Gaza’s population, with international agencies labeling the situation as “catastrophic.” The resolution calls for the urgent, unrestricted delivery of humanitarian aid to Gaza, emphasizing the safe and unhindered distribution of supplies by the United Nations and its partners. Aid into Gaza has been severely restricted since Israel imposed a blockade in early March, aimed at pressuring Hamas, but this move has left roughly two million residents almost entirely dependent on outside relief for basic survival.

Since the partial lifting of the blockade, U.N. officials report that only a fraction of needed aid is reaching the people. According to U.N. spokesperson Stephane Dujarric, just over 620 trucks have crossed over from Israel to Gaza in recent weeks, and fewer than 400 of those truckloads—mainly flour and essential medical supplies—made it to the civilians most in need. Even these limited deliveries have faced hurdles, including looting by armed groups, further complicating the already dire situation. Dujarric emphasized, “The unimpeded entry of humanitarian assistance at scale must be restored immediately. The U.N. must be allowed to work in safety and in security under conditions of full respect for humanitarian principles.”

The draft resolution, which will be put to a vote later today, directly addresses these concerns, demanding the restoration of basic humanitarian services and adherence to international humanitarian law. However, diplomatic sources indicate that the United States—the Security Council’s most powerful member—is expected to veto the measure, continuing a pattern seen in previous votes where Washington has opposed ceasefire demands not explicitly linked to the release of all hostages.

The context remains grave: Israeli military operations have devastated much of Gaza’s infrastructure, with local health authorities reporting more than 54,000 Palestinian deaths, the majority of them women and children. Israel’s campaign followed the October 7 attacks, which killed around 1,200 people in southern Israel and resulted in the abduction of at least 251 hostages. While dozens have since been freed, 58 remain captive, with only about one third believed to be alive, according to Israeli officials.

The Security Council has already deliberated on 14 separate resolutions regarding Gaza since the conflict began, only four of which have passed. Last November, an almost identical ceasefire resolution was also vetoed by the United States, which cited the absence of explicit language linking ceasefire to hostage release as the primary reason.

Amid these diplomatic deadlocks, the stakes on the ground grow higher. U.N. agencies, along with independent experts, warn that Gaza’s hunger crisis is spiraling, a situation the U.N. believes cannot be resolved by the new Israeli and U.S.-backed system for distributing aid within military zones—a plan the United Nations has criticized for violating the fundamental principles of neutrality and impartiality.

As members of the Security Council prepare for today’s vote, the outcome will determine whether international pressure brings any respite to Gaza’s besieged population, or whether another bid for a ceasefire will once again be blocked by a divided international community.