Pakistan has strongly condemned the United States for vetoing a United Nations Security Council (UNSC) resolution calling for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza. The resolution, backed by 14 out of 15 UNSC members, aimed to stop Israeli military operations and ensure unhindered humanitarian aid access to Gaza. Pakistan, one of the co-sponsors, called the US veto a “dark moment” that has deepened the suffering of innocent Palestinians. The resolution also demanded the release of all hostages and the lifting of the Israeli blockade. South Korea presided over the meeting as this month’s rotating UNSC president.
Speaking after the vote, Pakistan’s UN envoy, Ambassador Asim Iftikhar Ahmad, expressed “profound regret” over the veto. He said the Council failed its duty due to the power of one vote. He called the moment a “grave failure” at a time of extreme human suffering. He warned that blocking action in the face of mass casualties risks being seen as supporting the violence. The envoy said two million people in Gaza now feel that their lives don’t matter in global politics.
Ambassador Asim said Israel’s ongoing attacks and blockade are causing famine, death, and mass displacement in Gaza. He criticized Israel’s expanding settlements in the West Bank and said they prove the reality of modern settler colonialism. He called for an end to starvation and a complete lifting of the blockade. Pakistan reaffirmed support for a sovereign Palestinian state based on 1967 borders with Al-Quds Al-Sharif as its capital. He urged the global community to act before more lives are lost.
Other nations also voiced strong disappointment over the veto. China’s UN Ambassador Fu Cong called it deeply frustrating and questioned how many more people must die before the Council acts. Algeria’s envoy apologized to the people of Gaza, admitting the Council had failed them. Palestine’s Ambassador Riyadh Mansoor said the world cannot keep ignoring the suffering of Palestinian civilians. In contrast, Israel’s Ambassador dismissed the resolution as “theatre” and claimed it only benefits Hamas.
Pakistan’s ambassador ended his speech with a heartfelt plea. He said, “The cries of children in Gaza should pierce our hearts. The anguish of mothers should shake our conscience.” He urged the world not to look away, as Gaza continues to face destruction. The veto, he said, does not only delay peace but damages the credibility of the UN itself. The international community, he warned, must now choose between silence and justice.