US Casts Sole Veto for UN Security Resolution
Calling for ‘Humanitarian Pause’ in Gaza Violence
Dave DeCamp / Antiwar.com

(October 18, 2023) — The US on Wednesday vetoed a Brazilian-proposed UN Security Council resolution that would have called for “humanitarian pauses” to allow the delivery of aid to Gaza.

The US was the only member of the Security Council to vote against the proposal, which is enough to veto the resolution since the US is a permanent member. Nine out of 12 members voted in favor of the resolution, while the UK and Russia abstained.

The vote came two days after the US and its allies on the Security Council rejected a resolution proposed by Russia calling for a ceasefire. The US claimed that it opposed the Russian resolution because it did not condemn Hamas.

The Brazilian version did condemn Hamas, but the US still complained about the language. US Ambassador to the UN Linda Thomas-Greenfield said the US vetoed the resolution because it “did not mention Israel’s right of self-defense.”

Russian Ambassador Vassily Nebenzia said Moscow did not vote in favor of the Brazilian resolution because it had “no clear call for a ceasefire” and “will not help to stop the bloodshed.”

During President Biden’s visit to Israel on Wednesday, Israel said it agreed to allow humanitarian aid to enter Gaza from Egypt. The US is still not calling for a ceasefire or any kind of de-escalation and is strongly backing Israel’s bombardment with new military aid and deployments of military assets to the region.

US Ambassador to the UN Linda Thomas-Greenfield.

Israel Says It Will Allow Humanitarian
Aid From Egypt Into Gaza
Dave DeCamp / Antiwar.com

(October 18, 2023) — The Israeli government agreed to allow the entry of some trucks carrying humanitarian aid from Egypt into Gaza amid its relentless attack on the besieged enclave.

Gaza has been under a “complete siege” after Israel cut off all electricity, food, fuel, and water going into the enclave following the October 7 Hamas attack. The office of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said it approved the plan to let some aid in after a request from President Biden, who was in Israel on Wednesday.

“In light of President Biden’s request, Israel will not prevent the flow of humanitarian aid from Egypt as long as it is food, water and medical supplies for the Palestinian population in the southern Gaza strip and as long as it doesn’t go to Hamas. Any aid diverted to Hamas will be prevented,” the office said.

A senior Israeli official told Axios that “Biden asked that Israel allow the entry of humanitarian aid to Gaza and explained it would help in maintaining international support for the operation against Hamas.”

According to AP, Egypt needs to repair roads across the border in Gaza that were damaged by Israeli airstrikes. Biden said an initial group of 20 aid trucks will be let in, and White House officials said the earliest the trucks will start moving into Gaza is Friday. In the meantime, Gazans are drinking contaminated water, and many families have cut their food consumption to one meal per day, leading to UN warnings of the risk of starvation starvation.