On Wednesday, the United States vetoed a U.N. Security Council resolution calling for an immediate and permanent ceasefire in Gaza, sparking backlash against the Biden administration for blocking international efforts to end the Israel-Hamas conflict. The resolution, proposed by 10 non-permanent members of the council, also called for the release of hostages.

The U.S. was the only country to vote against the measure, with Robert Wood, the deputy U.S. ambassador to the U.N., stating that Washington would only support a ceasefire resolution that explicitly linked it to the immediate release of hostages. He argued that without this link, the resolution would have sent the wrong message to Hamas and hindered peace efforts.

The veto drew criticism from several members of the Security Council, including Malta’s U.N. Ambassador Vanessa Frazier, who lamented that the council failed to act responsibly to maintain international peace. The situation in Gaza remains dire, with nearly 44,000 people killed and widespread displacement due to the ongoing Israeli military campaign in response to Hamas’s deadly attacks on Israel in October 2023.

While the U.S. continues to provide strong diplomatic and military support to Israel, President Joe Biden has faced difficulty in brokering a ceasefire deal, despite calls for international intervention to address the worsening humanitarian crisis in Gaza.