The United States used its veto power to block a United Nations Security Council resolution calling for an immediate humanitarian ceasefire in the Israel-Hamas war. Instead, the U.S. pushed for a temporary ceasefire linked to the release of hostages held by Hamas. Thirteen council members voted in favor of the Algerian-drafted text, while Britain abstained. This was the third U.S. veto of a draft resolution since the start of the current fighting on Oct. 7. The U.S. Ambassador to the U.N. expressed concerns that demanding an immediate, unconditional ceasefire without requiring Hamas to release hostages could extend the fighting between Hamas and Israel. The Algerian-drafted resolution that was vetoed by the U.S. did not link a ceasefire to the release of hostages. The Palestinian U.N. envoy accused Israel of being able to “get away with murder” due to the veto, while Israel’s U.N. Ambassador stressed that a ceasefire would only serve to ensure the survival of Hamas.