Israel Strikes Kill 18 In Gaza As US Signals Veto In Ceasefire Proposal At UNSC For Third Time

Airstrikes in Rafah killed six people overnight, including a woman and three children, while another strike in Khan Younis resulted in the death of five people.

People inspect the damage to their homes following Israeli air strikes in Rafah.

Source : Getty Images

New Delhi: Israeli airstrikes pounded Gaza overnight, resulting in the loss of at least 18 lives on Sunday as the United States announced its intent to veto another draft UN ceasefire resolution, news agency AP reported. Rather than pursuing this route, the US, Israel's ally, aims to mediate a ceasefire agreement and the release of hostages between Israel and Hamas, with the broader objective to resolve the Israel-Palestine conflict.

“The United States does not support action on this draft resolution. Should it come up for a vote as drafted, it will not be adopted," U.S. Ambassador to the U.N. Linda Thomas-Greenfield, said in a statement.

However, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has rebuffed Hamas' demands, dismissing them as "delusional", the news agency reported.

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According to the report, Netanyahu stands firm against US and international pressures for a pathway to Palestinian statehood and has vowed to continue the offensive until achieving "total victory" over Hamas, with plans to extend operations to Rafah, Gaza's southernmost town, where a significant portion of the enclave's 2.3 million Palestinian residents has taken refuge amid escalating hostilities.

According to the AP report, airstrikes in Rafah killed six people overnight, including a woman and three children, while another strike in Khan Younis resulted in the deaths of five men.

In Gaza City, which has witnessed mass evacuations and extensive destruction during the initial phases of the war, an airstrike destroyed a house, claiming the lives of seven individuals, including three women, AP reported.

Meanwhile, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, head of UN health agency, said a WHO team was not allowed to enter Nasser Hospital, that had gone to “assess the conditions of the patients and critical medical needs, despite reaching the hospital compound to deliver fuel alongside partners,” AP reported.