Russia and China have vetoed a US draft resolution that tied an immediate ceasefire in Gaza to the release of hostages held by Hamas. With 11 votes in favour, three against and one abstention, the resolution has stalled, the BBC reports.
This will be the first time the US has supported calls for an immediate ceasefire in the region, having previously blocked such demands at the UN. It comes as Antony Blinken meets Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in Israel as the US grows more critical of Israel’s military campaign.
The US representative to the UN Security Council, Linda Thomas-Greenfield, speaking after the failed vote said Russia and China did not want to vote for a resolution put forward by the United States because they would rather see the US fail.
“Once again Russia puts politics over progress,” she said.
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The UK’s representative to the Security Council, Dame Barbara Woodward has added her voice, saying she is “deeply disappointed” that Russia and China did not back the US draft resolution.
She said the UK had voted for an “an immediate and sustained ceasefire”, to free Israeli hostages, and to “urge against a ground offensive into Rafah”.
She added that, the UK will continue to do “everything we can” to get aid into Gaza, but asserts that an immediate cessation of hostilities is needed to get the required amount of aid into the enclave.