The United States (US) on Friday, 8 December, vetoed a United Nations (UN) resolution calling for an immediate ceasefire in the war between Israel and Hamas in Gaza.
As many as 13 UN Security Council members voted in favour of the draft resolution, which was put forward by the United Arab Emirates. While the US vetoed it, Britain abstained from voting.
The US and Israel have argued that a ceasefire would only be advantageous for Hamas, as it would help them regroup and amass greater resources. The US government, however, has called for pauses in the war for the protection of civilians and the release of hostages by Hamas.
A seven-day pause – which saw the exchange of prisoners and inflow of humanitarian aid to Gaza – came to an end on 1 December.
