UN vote on Gaza delayed by another day amid talks to avoid U.S. veto

A United Nations Security Council vote on a bid to boost aid deliveries to the Gaza Strip has been delayed by another day as talks continue to try and avoid a third U.S. veto of action over the two-month-long Israel-Hamas conflict, diplomats said on Tuesday.

The 15-member council was initially going to vote on a resolution – drafted by the United Arab Emirates – on Monday. But it has repeatedly been delayed as diplomats say the UAE and the U.S. struggle to agree on language citing a cessation of hostilities and a proposal to set up UN aid monitoring.

When asked if they were getting close to an agreement, U.S. Ambassador to the U.N. Linda Thomas-Greenfield told reporters on Tuesday: "We're trying, we really are."

The draft resolution would demand Israel and Hamas allow and facilitate land, sea and air deliveries of aid to and throughout the Gaza Strip and ask the United Nations to monitor humanitarian assistance arriving in the Palestinian enclave.

Diplomats said the United States wants to tone down language that "calls for the urgent suspension of hostilities to allow safe and unhindered humanitarian access, and for urgent steps towards a sustainable cessation of hostilities."

Despite growing calls for a ceasefire, the United States and Israel reject it because they believe it would only benefit Hamas. Washington instead supports pauses in fighting to protect civilians and allow the release of hostages taken by Hamas.

Washington traditionally shields its ally Israel from any Security Council action. It had already twice vetoed Security Council action since an October 7 attack by Hamas that Israel says killed 1,200 people and saw 240 people taken hostage.

Israel has retaliated against Hamas by bombarding Gaza from the air, imposing a siege and launching a ground offensive. Nearly 20,000 Palestinians have been killed, according to Gaza health officials. UN officials warn of a humanitarian catastrophe in Gaza, with the majority of the coastal Palestinian enclave's 2.3 million people driven from their homes.

The U.S. has become increasingly isolated at the UN over its backing of Israel as the civilian death toll in Gaza mounts. Permanent UN Security Council member China has been urging Washington to stop blocking resolutions on a ceasefire in Gaza.

China has a wish to become more influential in the Middle East, but the work to end the conflict is really on U.S. shoulders, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Wang Wenbin said on Tuesday.

(With input from Reuters)