(GoRealNewsNow.com) – In a stinging defeat for Joe Biden and his administration, Russia and China blocked a U.S. proposal at the United Nations seeking an “immediate and sustained cease-fire” in the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas in Gaza.
This proposal aimed to shield civilians and ensure the delivery of aid to over two million Palestinians in need.
During a Security Council meeting with 15 members, the resolution saw 11 votes in support, three oppositions, and one abstention.
Russia’s U.N. envoy, Vassily Nebenzia, expressed Moscow’s backing for an immediate halt to hostilities. However, he criticized the resolution’s phrasing and accused U.S. officials of distorting the situation for biased purposes.
The contested resolution stressed the necessity of a cease-fire but omitted any direct mention of releasing hostages taken by Hamas in an attack on Israel.
Despite prior resolutions addressing Gaza’s terrible humanitarian crisis, calls for a cease-fire remained unanswered until Russia and China’s recent veto against a U.S. motion that demanded combat pauses for humanitarian relief, civilian protection and an end to weapons supplies to Hamas.
The U.S., Israel’s principal ally, has previously vetoed three resolutions calling for a cease-fire, which included an Arab-supported proposal.
In the lead-up to the vote, the U.S. put forward a competing resolution, substantially revised during negotiations, initially tying a cease-fire to the release of hostages.
The vote coincided with U.S. Secretary of State Blinken’s critical diplomatic mission in the Middle East, which focused on cease-fire negotiations and the aftermath of the war.
Moreover, U.S. Mission spokesperson Nate Evans viewed the resolution as a unified council support for on-ground diplomacy and a push for Hamas to accept the proposed deal.
Simultaneously, the Security Council’s ten elected members proposed a resolution for an immediate humanitarian cease-fire during Ramadan which aimed for a lasting peace and the prompt release of all hostages.
Gaza’s death toll has nearly reached 32,000, with two-thirds being women and children, amidst warnings of an imminent scarcity affecting 70 % of northern Gaza’s population.
The U.S. resolution draft raised concerns over the looming threat of famine and epidemics in Gaza which called for expanded humanitarian aid and the removal of obstacles to aid delivery.
Despite international pressure, Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu planned to extend military operations to Rafah, a city providing refuge to approximately 1.3 million displaced Palestinians and perceived as a Hamas stronghold.
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