UNSC to Vote on Gaza Aid Resolution Amid Rising Tensions

The United Nations Security Council  (UNSC) is set to vote Wednesday afternoon on a resolution calling for an immediate and unconditional lifting of all restrictions on humanitarian aid entering Gaza, as the enclave faces what the draft text describes as a “catastrophic” humanitarian crisis.

The draft resolution, authored by the ten non-permanent members of the Council, reiterates demands for the release of all individuals held by Hamas and calls for the restoration of full humanitarian services in line with international humanitarian law and Security Council resolutions.

The vote comes amid mounting concerns over daily clashes and gunfire incidents tied to a controversial new system for distributing aid. The system, established in coordination between the United States and Israel, positions aid distribution points inside Israeli-declared military zones — a method its architects argue is designed to bypass Hamas control and ensure secure delivery.

However, the United Nations has sharply criticized the new mechanism. UN officials argue that it fails to address the worsening hunger crisis in Gaza, undermines humanitarian principles of neutrality and independence, and risks turning aid into a political tool.

“The current system not only falls short of meeting the scale of need, but also raises serious concerns about impartial access to food and medical supplies,” said a senior UN official familiar with the matter, speaking on condition of anonymity.

The draft resolution urges unrestricted, widespread, and safe delivery of aid — including by the UN and its humanitarian partners — and rejects any impediments that might delay or politicize assistance. It also calls for the reinstatement of all essential services in Gaza under humanitarian principles and legal frameworks.

Diplomats from several member states, speaking anonymously due to the sensitivity of negotiations, said they expect the United States to veto the resolution, continuing a pattern of blocking UNSC action perceived as critical of Israel.

Neither the U.S. nor Israeli missions to the UN have issued official comments on the resolution.

The vote will mark the latest chapter in an intensifying global debate over access to humanitarian aid in Gaza, where months of conflict have left large swathes of the population without food, medicine, or shelter. UN agencies and aid groups have warned that famine is imminent if the situation does not change rapidly.