US and Russia fail to pass Gaza resolutions at UNSC

Russia and China vetoed the US draft resolution on the Middle East, while Russia’s draft resolution did not get enough votes to be adopted. It failed to require the nine votes needed for consideration.

The result for the US resolution was announced as “10 votes in favor, 3 against veto, and 2 abstentions”.

US Ambassador to the United Nations Linda Thomas-Greenfield said she was “deeply disappointed” by the veto.

Russian Permanent Representative to the United Nations Vasily Nebenzya also stated Moscow regrets that the UN Security Council has fallen short of expectation, despite Moscow’s efforts.

Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh has hailed Russia, China’s vetoing the US-drafted UN Security Council resolution on the Middle East.

“The head of the Political Bureau [of the Hamas Palestinian movement] highly assesses Russia and China’s position in the UN Security Council and their blocking the American draft resolution backing the occupational [Israeli] forces. He also expresses gratitude to all countries both within the Security Council and outside it who called for stopping the aggression against our Palestinian people in Gaza,” Hamas said in a statement posted on its Telegram channel.

Hamas called on the international community to oblige Israel to respect human rights and “use humanitarian law in respect of the Palestinian people both in the Gaza Strip and in entire Palestine”.

On October 18, the US vetoed Brazil’s draft resolution on the Middle East. The United Kingdom and Russia abstained from voting in light of the UN Security Council’s rejection of its suggested amendments to the document, while the remaining 12 members of the UN Security Council voted in favor of the resolution.

On October 17, the UN Security Council did not adopt the Russia-drafted resolution on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, as five countries voted in favor. Thus, the resolution did not receive enough votes to pass.

On October 7, Hamas initiated a multi-pronged surprise military operation via land, sea and air. The group announced it was in response to the storming of Al-Aqsa Mosque in occupied East Jerusalem and Israeli settlers’ growing violence against Palestinians. The attacks have so far killed more than 1,400 and injured over 5,000, according to Israeli officials. Hamas also announced it is holding between at least 200 and 250 hostages.

Following the multi-front attack by Hamas, Israel carried out heavy bombardment across the Gaza Strip, killing more than 6,500 Palestinians, including hundreds of children and women, and wounding over 16,000 others. Tel Aviv has also ordered a “complete siege” of Gaza, saying it would halt its supply of electricity, food, water and fuel.

Gaza is one of the most densely populated places on Earth, where some 2 million people live in an area of 140 square miles. It has been almost completely cut off from the rest of the world for nearly 17 years. More than half of its population lives in poverty and is food insecure, with nearly 80% of its population relying on humanitarian assistance.