The United States vetoed a United Nations Security Council resolution on Wednesday that would have condemned attacks by Hamas against Israel and would have called for humanitarian pauses between both the nations to allow humanitarian aid access to the Gaza Strip, reported the Associated Press.
Out of the 15-member Security Council, 12 voted in favour of the draft text, while the United States voted against and two members - Russia and Britain - refrained from voting.
For the resolution to pass through it needs at least nine of the 15 council members to vote "yes" and no veto by a permanent UN Security Council member.
Speaking to the media after the voting, US Ambassador Linda Thomas-Greenfield said hat President Joe Biden is in the region engaging in diplomacy “and we need that diplomacy to play out." She also pointe towards the resolution not saying anything about Israel’s right to self-defense, reported AP.
ALSO READ: Gaza Hospital Explosion Appears To Be Done 'By Other Team, Not You': Biden Tells Netanyahu In Israel
Before the vote on the Brazilian-drafted text, two Russian amendments, one calling for a "humanitarian cease-fire" and the other condemning indiscriminate attacks on civilians and "civilian objects" in Gaza, which include hospitals and schools were rejected by the council members.
Since the October 7 surprise attacks by Hamas on Israel, US President Joe Biden has been constantly voicing support to Tel Aviv - a traditional US ally - upholding its "right to defend" against the attacks.
Over 1.1 million people in Gaza have been ordered by Israel to move south. This is in the view of the ground offensive that Israel is going to launch against the Hamas militants.
Gaza is under a total siege and intense bombardment from Israel. It has promised to "wipe out" Hamas after the terrorist organisation killed 1,400 people and seized hostages in an October 7 attack on Israel, worst in the country's 75-year-old history.