The adoption of a United Nations Security Council (UNSC) resolution calling for an immediate cease-fire between Israel and the Palestinian militant group Hamas was derailed on the 18th (local time) after the United States exercised its veto.

On July 15 (local time), representatives of each country are voting at a United Nations Security Council meeting held at the UN headquarters in New York. The photo is unrelated to the article. /Courtesy of Xinhua=Yonhap

The UNSC held a meeting that day, chaired by Deputy Permanent Representative Kim Sang-jin of Korea, which holds the council presidency in September, and put to a vote a Gaza cease-fire resolution proposed by the 10 elected nonpermanent members (E10).

However, the measure failed to be adopted as the United States, a permanent member, exercised its veto. Of the 15 council members, the other 14 countries besides the United States voted in favor.

For a resolution to pass, at least 9 of the 15 council members must vote in favor, and all five permanent members—the United States, China, Russia, the United Kingdom, and France—must also support it.

This was the sixth time the United States has used its veto on related resolutions since the Gaza war began. In remarks before the vote, Morgan Ortagus, the U.S. deputy special envoy for Middle East peace representing the United States, said the resolution "does not condemn Hamas or recognize Israel's right to self-defense."

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