Russia and China on Friday vetoed a US-sponsored United Nations resolution calling for “an immediate and sustained ceasefire” in the Israel-Hamas war in Gaza to protect civilians and enable humanitarian aid to be delivered to more than 2 million hungry Palestinians.
The vote in the 15-member Security Council saw 11 members vote in favour, three against and one abstain.
Before the vote, Russia’s UN Ambassador Vassily Nebenzia said Moscow supported an immediate ceasefire, but he questioned the language in the resolution and accused US Secretary of State Antony Blinken and US Ambassador to the UN Linda Thomas-Greenfield of “misleading the international community” for “politicised” reasons.
Thomas-Greenfield had said she was optimistic that the draft resolution would be approved.
Unlike a previous draft, the proposal voted on had no direct link to the release of hostages taken during Hamas’ October 7 attack on Israel. However, it supported diplomatic efforts “to secure such a ceasefire in connection with the release of all remaining hostages.”
The Security Council has already adopted two resolutions on the worsening humanitarian situation in Gaza, but none calling for a ceasefire.
Meanwhile U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken met with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his war cabinet Friday morning as part of the intensive U.S. diplomatic efforts to reach a cease-fire in Gaza.
This latest stop is Blinken’s sixth time in the region since the Oct. 7 Hamas attacks on Israel that triggered the more than four-month-long Israeli military campaign in the Gaza Strip.
It comes as Netanyahu mulls further military operations in Rafah and cease-fire and hostage release talks between Israeli and Hamas authorities continue in Doha, Qatar.
