Russia and China vetoed a United States-backed draft resolution at the UN Security Council calling for a cease-fire in Gaza as part of a hostage deal.

The proposed resolution called for "an immediate and sustained cease-fire" in the Israel-Hamas war in Gaza to protect civilians and enable humanitarian aid to be delivered to the Palestinian enclave.

Moscow accused Washington of a "hypocritical spectacle" that does not pressure Israel.

Algeria also voted against the resolution, with Guyana abstaining and the remaining 11 countries of the 15-member Security Council voting in favor.

Russia not interested in assisting diplomatically, US says

The United States ambassador to the UN, Linda Thomas-Greenfield, said the vetoes show Russia and China were continuing to do nothing to help bring an end to the conflict.

"Russia and China simply did not want to vote for a resolution that was penned by the United States," she added.

"Let's be honest — for all the fiery rhetoric, we all know that Russia and China are not doing anything diplomatically to advance a lasting peace or to meaningfully contribute to the humanitarian response effort," she said.

Following talks with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu during a visit to Tel Aviv, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken accused China and Russia of "cynically" vetoing the resolution.

"On the resolution, which got very strong support, but then was cynically vetoed by Russia and China," Blinken said. 

"I think we were trying to show the international community a sense of urgency about getting a ceasefire."

Russia's UN ambassador, Vasily Nebenzia, dismissed the US-backed resolution calling for a cease-fire only after "Gaza has been virtually wiped off the face of the earth."

"The American product is exceedingly politicized," he said. "With the sole purpose being to play to voters and throw them a bone in the form of some kind of a mention of a cease-fire in Gaza."

Following the resolution's defeat, French President Emmanuel Macron said his country was working on a new resolution to achieve a cease-fire in Gaza. The French Foreign Ministry on Thursday said it had already begun drafting a resolution with diplomats, to put a draft forward in case the US resolution did not pass. 

Consistent vetoes stop UN action

Russia and China previously vetoed a US-sponsored resolution in October 2023, that called for "pauses in fighting to deliver aid, protect civilians and halt arming Hamas," saying at the time that it did not reflect global calls for a cease-fire.

The United States then vetoed three resolutions demanding a cease-fire, most recently a measure backed by Arab countries that had support from 13 Council members and had one abstention on February 20.

km/sms (AP, AFP, Reuters)