The United States vetoed an Arab-backed UN resolution Tuesday demanding an immediate humanitarian ceasefire in the Israel-Hamas war in the embattled Gaza Strip. The vote in the 15-member Security Council was 13-1, with the United Kingdom abstaining, reflecting the wide global support for ending the more than four-month war, reports the AP. US Ambassador Linda Thomas-Greenfield said earlier that the Biden administration would veto the Arab-backed resolution because it may interfere with ongoing US efforts to arrange a deal between the warring parties that would bring at least a six-week halt to hostilities and release all hostages taken during Hamas' surprise Oct. 7 attack in southern Israel. It was the third US veto of a Security Council resolution demanding a ceasefire in Gaza.
In a surprise move ahead of the vote, the United States circulated a rival UN Security Council resolution that would support a temporary ceasefire in Gaza linked to the release of all hostages, and call for the lifting of all restrictions on the delivery of humanitarian aid. Both of these actions "would help to create the conditions for a sustainable cessation of hostilities," the draft resolution obtained by the AP says. US Deputy Ambassador Robert Wood told reporters Monday that the Arab-backed resolution is not "an effective mechanism for trying to do the three things that we want to see happen—which is get hostages out, more aid in, and a lengthy pause to this conflict."
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