During the United Nations General Assembly on September 24, 2025, President Donald J. Trump addressed the United Nations’ (UN) failure to hold accountable those who commit atrocities of war, nor take any action to solve said wars around the world.
During President Trump’s speech, he recognized the seven wars the United States has brought to an end since he took office. This brought peace to many surrounding nations, but the UN did not play any part in achieving this. He asked those gathered, “What is the purpose of the United Nations? The UN has tremendous potential … but it’s not even coming close to living up to that potential.”
The Israeli-Palestinian conflict is one President Trump has worked tirelessly to help end, despite the cowardice of the UN.
On September 7, 2025, President Trump proposed a ceasefire plan to Hamas and Israel. Two days after the proposal, Hamas declined while Israel accepted. The key concepts of Trump’s proposal included the release of all 48 remaining hostages on the first day of a 60-day truce, Israel’s halt and withdrawal of military operations in Gaza with Hamas’s disarmament, negotiations during the 60-day truce to achieve a lasting peace with a new government excluding Hamas, and assurance to regional leaders that he would not let Israel annex the West Bank.
Hamas’s refusal to move toward peace is just one of numerous obstacles over the past two years that have contributed to the length of this war. Since October 7th, 2023, Israel’s mission has sought two initiatives: the disarmament of Hamas terrorists and the recovery of all hostages held by Hamas. Despite false narratives, it remains the same today.
Following Hamas’s decline to Trump’s proposal, the UN Security Council convened to consider a draft resolution on the situation in Gaza on September 18, 2025. This resolution called for an immediate, unconditional, and permanent ceasefire in the Gaza Strip. The U.S. is one of five permanent Council members who possess the right to veto. Morgan Ortagus, Deputy United States Special Envoy to the Middle East, stood boldly in opposition to this resolution. She claimed the resolution “will come as no surprise” as it fails to hold the Hamas terrorist organization accountable or recognize Israel’s right to defend itself. Morgan added, “the false narrative of this resolution benefits Hamas, which is sadly found currency in this Council,” She also pointed out the resolution “refuses to acknowledge and seeks to return to a failed system that has allowed Hamas to enrich and strengthen itself at the expense of civilians in need.”
While many, including UN ambassadors from various countries, claim Israel is consistently targeting innocent civilians and prolonging Palestinian suffering, there are a few things worth noting. Frequently throughout the conflict, IDF forces have dropped leaflets warning Gaza residents of coming attacks in their region and encouraging them to leave and prevent casualties. Israel has provided over one million doses of vaccines to Gaza, thousands of patients have received medical care at field hospitals in the Gaza Strip, and Israel’s cooperation with Egypt, the UAE, and Turkey has resulted in a transfer of over 2,000 Gazan patients and their escorts to different countries for medical assistance. Despite being fought under some of the most complex and demanding battlefield conditions, the Gaza war has recorded the lowest civilian-to-combatant ratio in modern warfare. All while the enemy’s combatants did not wear uniforms, intentionally blurring the line between civilians and fighters. Additionally, the US-Israel-backed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF) is adding two more sites and announced plans to expand to sixteen distribution sites , aiming to ensure aid reaches the most vulnerable civilians. Through these sites, Israel transports over 500 food trucks into Gaza every day.
So why are claims of the IDF perpetrating starvation held so strongly? Why do shouts of genocide echo against a nation that serves civilians with medical care, food, and protection from their own government entity? It is crucial to highlight that the propaganda spread by Hamas media operatives, falsely claiming that Israel is starving the people of Gaza, serves to conceal their own looting of humanitarian aid and perpetration of the enduring war. More importantly, the UN backs Hamas’ lies.
Gaza civilians do not reinforce this narrative, rather, they pinpoint Hamas as the perpetrators. Gaza-based journalist Jerad Saftawi said, “Hamas terrorists used my family and hundreds of our neighbors as human shields. Hamas continues to hold the people of Gaza captive.”
The United States veto was not just on the resolution, but against the false narrative of genocide by Israel promoted by the UN and continuing the fight to hold Hamas accountable for October 7th, including its continuous war crimes against Gazan civilians and Israel.
The United Nations is an international organization founded in the pursuit of peace, human rights, and international cooperation. Their role is to hold accountable those who commit acts of war and crimes against humanity. Yet, the UN falls short time and time again in fulfilling this role effectively. This continues to be evident as they refuse to hold Hamas accountable for their atrocities but rather solely condemn Israel. As noted by President Trump, “All the UN seems to do is write really strongly worded letters and then never follow that letter up. It’s empty words and empty words don’t solve war.” The UN has failed the victims of October 7th, the families lost, the women sexually tortured, and the sons and daughters of not just Israel, but of other nations.
Despite the UN’s backwards view on the war, a new deal, as of early October 2025, led by President Trump and backed by numerous Arab nations, will prevail. The hostages are home, and Hamas will be disarmed, bringing an end to the war in Gaza.
*Grace Herold is a Young Women for America Ambassador at Florida State University.
