US Vetoes UN Security Council Action on Israel-Gaza Conflict

The United States has vetoed a United Nations Security Council resolution that called for humanitarian pauses in the conflict between Israel and Palestinian Hamas militants to allow aid access to the Gaza Strip. The resolution, drafted by Brazil, received support from twelve members, while Russia and Britain abstained. The U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, Linda Thomas-Greenfield, stated that diplomacy should be allowed to play out and criticized the resolution for not mentioning Israel's right to self-defense. The U.N. Secretary-General, Antonio Guterres, called for an immediate humanitarian ceasefire. Israel has ordered civilians and U.N. staff in Gaza to move south as it prepares for a ground offensive in retaliation for a recent Hamas attack.