US abstains, allowing UN Security Council resolution on Gaza to pass

After days of intense negotiations on a humanitarian pause and the delivery of aid to the war-torn Gaza Strip, the United States abstained Friday on a United Nations Security Council resolution, allowing its adoption by the 15-member body.

"Today this council called for urgent steps to immediately allow safe, unhindered and expanded humanitarian access and to create the conditions for sustainable cessation of hostilities," said U.S. Ambassador to the U.N. Linda Thomas-Greenfield, underscoring the first time the council used such language.

Hostages must be immediately released, she said, and both Israel and Hamas must respect international humanitarian law. She added that the U.S. is "deeply disappointed" the resolution did not condemn Hamas' October 7 terror attacks that killed 1,200 people in Israel.

Russia, which wanted stronger criticism of Israel in the resolution, also abstained, calling the final draft that contained amendments pushed by Washington "extremely neutered" and "toothless."

"The text of the draft has lost a reference to condemnations of all indiscriminate attacks on civilians," said Russian Ambassador to the U.N. Vassily Nebenzya, speaking through an interpreter. "What signal does this send to the international community? That the Security Council is giving Israel a green light for war crimes?"

The Russian ambassador chided council members for the move to "rubber stamp a decision that is convenient for Washington."

Thomas-Greenfield dismissed Nebenzya's "rant." Russia "also created conditions that they are complaining about now in their unprovoked war in Ukraine," she noted.

Avoiding US veto

Diplomats had been working since Monday on the resolution drafted by the United Arab Emirates, seeking to avoid language that had brought repeated U.S. vetoes of U.N. votes since Israel launched its military operation in Gaza.

The more than 10-week-old campaign has killed more than 20,000 people in Gaza, according to the health ministry there.