The United States vetoed a United Nations Security Council resolution on Friday calling for an immediate ceasefire in war-torn Gaza amid growing concern about the civilian death toll in the enclave and pressure for the international community to do more to alleviate the humanitarian crisis there.
Thirteen countries were in favor of the resolution while the United States vetoed and the UK abstained. At least 97 other countries joined in the effort, co-sponsoring the United Arab Emirates-drafted bill.
Rejected ceasefire resolution: According to a draft copy presented by the United Arab Emirates, the UN Security Council resolution called for “an immediate humanitarian ceasefire,” as well as “the immediate and unconditional release of all hostages” and “ensuring humanitarian access." Israel's Ambassador to the UN Gilad Erdan thanked the US for its veto decision, but charitable organizations like Human Rights Watch, Oxfam and Amnesty International decried the move. Palestinian Prime Minister Mohammad Shtayyeh and Palestinian Ambassador to the UN Riyad Mansour also condemned the US veto, with Mansour calling it a “sad day.” Hamas, also condemning the veto, described it as an "immoral and inhumane position." As the only country that abstained, the UK's Mission to the UN said the country could not vote on a resolution that "does not condemn the atrocities Hamas committed against innocent Israeli civilians on the 7th of October."
Images of detained men: The Israel Defense Forces and Hamas responded to images that showed a mass detention by the Israeli military of men in Gaza who were blindfolded and stripped down to their underwear. A spokesperson for the Israel Defense Force claimed the men were "Hamas members and suspect Hamas members." A member of Hamas’ political office accused Israel of "kidnapping, invasive searches, and disrobing" what he said was "a group of displaced Palestinian civilians.” At least some of the men detained were civilians with no known affiliation to militant groups, according to a CNN interview with a relative and a statement by one of the men's employers, a news network.
Strikes in Gaza: The IDF said it carried out strikes on about 450 targets in Gaza over the past day — the highest number reported since the end of a truce with Hamas a week ago. The Israeli military continues to fight in Khan Younis in southern Gaza, which it says is a “main stronghold” of Hamas, according to a statement. Videos geolocated Thursday showed a series of heavy strikes in the city, and dozens of casualties were admitted to hospitals in the area.
Status of aid: The head of the main UN relief agency operating in Gaza said the organization is facing collapse as it deals with constant bombardment, insufficient humanitarian supplies and overcrowded shelters. Another UN office said that the "intensity of hostilities and restrictions of movement" on roads were limiting where aid could be delivered, with Gaza's southernmost governorate of Rafah is the "almost exclusive area" in the strip where limited aid distribution is taking place. Israel on Thursday said it will open the Kerem Shalom border crossing for the inspection of aid trucks in the "next few days."
Death toll: Nearly 17,500 Palestinians have been killed in Israeli attacks in Gaza since October 7, the Hamas-run Ministry of Health said Friday, and more than 46,400 people have been injured. A spokesperson added that the occupancy rate in Gaza hospitals has reached 262%, warning that medical institutions have run out of key supplies. The Hamas-run ministry also said it had identified over 300,000 cases of 15 infectious diseases in shelters. CNN cannot independently verify the numbers.
8 min ago
Hostage family members confront Israeli defense minister outside his home
From Tamar Michaelis and Sugam Pokharel
Family members of two hostages currently believed to be held in Gaza confronted Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant outside his home in northern Israel on Friday.
The exchange took place as Gallant tried to explain to two women protesting on the street the Israeli government’s strategy in regard to releasing remaining hostages from Hamas captivity.
“The situation isn’t such that we would give (Hamas) everything, and they give us everything,” Gallant said. “That’s not what they want. They have different aspirations. Therefore, it’s just a psychological deception.”
Ifat Kalderon said “if it doesn’t happen tomorrow, they will actually die.” She is the cousin of Ofer Kalderon, who is thought to be held hostage in Gaza.
“Your whole idea of pumping water [into tunnels], you’ll kill them,” Ifat Kalderon said.
Gallant continued trying to explain the government’s stance.
“I’m explaining something else. Hamas is willing to speak to us only when we’re applying force. If we don’t pressure them, we don’t bring them anywhere,” he said.
Gallant went on to say he believes pressure brought Hamas to a temporary truce and a hostage release deal last month.
“It will happen again,” he tried to reassure the two women.
“With every minute their lives are at risk. Do you know what they eat? Rice and a glass of sea water. How long can they live on that? Without sun and light,” said Dvora Leshem, grandmother of Romi Gonen, who is thought to be held captive in Gaza.
Gallant responded: “We understand the situation, and we want to do things as fast as possible, but unfortunately it doesn’t only depend on us. There is another side and they’re playing, both psychologically and practically."
Leshem urged the minister to first get the hostages out and then fight with Hamas.
Before leaving, Gallant tried to convince the two women, saying: “We will make all efforts.”
“As quickly as possible, so they don’t return inside coffins, but come back alive,” Ifat Kalderon said.
“You will have no one to return,” Leshem warned before Gallant left the scene.
8 min ago
Israel's foreign minister accuses UN chief of siding with Hamas on heels of ceasefire resolution vote
From CNN's Jonny Hallam
Israel's foreign minister accused the United Nations chief of siding with Hamas after he took the rare move of invoking Article 99 of the UN charter to push for a ceasefire in Gaza earlier this week.
Article 99 gives the secretary general the remit to "bring to the attention of the Security Council any matter which in his opinion may threaten the maintenance of international peace and security."
Secretary-General Antonio Guterres did this on Wednesday when he formally referred the situation in Gaza to the UN Security Council, urging its members to "avert a humanitarian catastrophe" in the besieged enclave.
Israeli Foreign Minister Eli Cohen said in a social media post that Guterres' request "disgraced" his position and was an example of the secretary-general's biased stance against Israel.
It's the first time Guterres invoked Article 99 since he became secretary-general in 2017, a spokesperson said on Wednesday.
In the post, Cohen also expressed his gratitude to the United States after it used its veto to block the Gaza ceasefire draft resolution at the UN Security Council Friday.
He thanked America for "its support to continue the fight to bring the hostages home and to eliminate the Hamas terrorist organization."
CNN's Niamh Kennedy contributed reporting to this post.
8 min ago
Hamas condemns US veto at UN Security Council, describing it as “immoral and inhumane position”
From CNN's Ibrahim Dahman
Hamas has condemned the United States' decision to veto the Gaza ceasefire draft resolution at the United Nations Security Council on Friday, describing it as an “immoral and inhumane position.”
“America’s obstruction of the issuance of a ceasefire resolution is a direct participation with the (Israeli) occupation in killing our people,” Izzat Al-Rishq, a member of the Hamas political bureau, said in a statement.
Some context: The resolution — presented by the United Arab Emirates — had called for “an immediate humanitarian ceasefire,” as well as “the immediate and unconditional release of all hostages” and “ensuring humanitarian access,” according to a draft copy.
Thirteen countries were in favor, the US vetoed and the UK abstained.
The United States had previously signaled disapproval of the draft text. One of the council’s five permanent members with veto power, the US has repeatedly resisted calls for a “ceasefire,” emphasizing Israel’s right to defend itself following Hamas’ October 7 terror attack.
The vote was the sixth attempt by the 15-member group to reach a consensus on the ongoing war between Israel and Hamas. Only one previous vote was successful, which called last month for “humanitarian pauses and corridors” to be established in Gaza.
CNN's Richard Roth, David Shortell and Caitlin Hu contributed reporting to this post.
8 min ago
Palestinian officials condemn US veto of Gaza ceasefire draft resolution
From CNN's Caitlin Hu
The Palestinian Ambassador to the United Nations Riyad Mansour called it a “sad day” Friday after the US vetoed the Security Council's draft resolution that called for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza.
Mansour said he believes one day “those who cannot see reality” will eventually react to “the massive pressure of humanity, from one corner of the globe to the other corner of the globe, with billions of people demanding ceasefire.”
“We are upset like our people, who are furious and upset with the UN system — with the United Nations, with the Security Council, with the General Assembly — and they are correctly upset and angry and frustrated because they see this massive Israeli war machine killing them in the thousands, and yet the Security Council has been paralyzed,” Mansour said.
Thirteen countries voted in favor of the Security Council draft resolution while Britain abstained.
Palestinian Prime Minister Mohammad Shtayyeh also condemned the US veto.
“The failure of the Security Council to stop the aggression is a disgrace and a new license for continued killing, destruction, and displacement,” Shtayyeh said in a statement. “[T]he use of the veto exposes the hypocrisy of claiming to care about the lives of civilians.”
Shtayyeh thanked countries that voted in favor of the resolution and urged them to continue their humanitarian aid efforts as well as attempts to stop Israeli attacks on the Gaza Strip.
The draft resolution was co-sponsored by 97 countries.
CNN’s Abeer Salman contributed reporting.
The post was updated with the statement from the Palestinian prime minister.
8 min ago
UK explains why it abstained from UN ceasefire resolution
From CNN’s Richard Roth
The UK’s Mission to the United Nations said the country could not vote on a Gaza ceasefire resolution that "does not condemn the atrocities Hamas committed against innocent Israeli civilians on the 7th of October."
The message comes after the UK abstained from a Security Council resolution calling for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza amid growing concern about the civilian death toll there. Thirteen countries voted in favor of the resolution which was vetoed by the United States.
A draft version of the resolution, presented by the United Arab Emirates, had called for “an immediate humanitarian ceasefire,” as well as “the immediate and unconditional release of all hostages” and “ensuring humanitarian access,” according to a draft copy.
Meanwhile, the UK added that it is “gravely concerned” about the humanitarian situation in Gaza and that civilian deaths and displacement in the strip cannot continue.
“Israel needs to be able to address the threat posed by Hamas and it needs to do so in a manner that abides by international humanitarian law, so that such an attack can never be carried out again,” the statement said.
8 min ago
Human Rights Watch says US giving Israel "diplomatic cover" for Gaza atrocities by vetoing UN resolution
From CNN’s Richard Roth and Hande Atay Alam
Human Rights Watch decried the United States' decision to veto the Gaza ceasefire resolution at the United Nations Security Council on Friday.
“By continuing to provide Israel with weapons and diplomatic cover as it commits atrocities, including collectively punishing the Palestinian civilian population in Gaza, the US risks complicity in war crimes," the UN director at HRW Louis Charbonneau said in a statement following the veto. “Once again the US used its veto to prevent the Security Council from making some of the calls the US itself has been demanding of Israel and Palestinian armed groups, including compliance with international humanitarian law, protection of civilians, and releasing all civilians held hostage,” the statement added.
More reaction: Abby Maxman, Oxfam America's president and CEO, also criticized the decision, saying Friday that the veto "puts another nail in the coffin for US credibility on matters of human rights."
"Today, the Biden administration had yet another opportunity to live up to its lofty rhetoric supporting human rights and a rules-based international order. The world is ready for the horrific carnage in Gaza to end and focus on the release of hostages and helping Palestinians rebuild their lives, " Maxman said in a statement.
Agnès Callamard, Amnesty International’s secretary general, said by vetoing the resolution "the US has displayed a callous disregard for civilian suffering in the face of a staggering death toll, extensive destruction and an unprecedented humanitarian catastrophe" in Gaza.
Callamard also criticized the US for sending weapons to Israel. She said it is contributing to the destruction in the enclave.
"The US has brazenly wielded and weaponized its veto to strongarm the UN Security Council, further undermining its credibility and ability to live up to its mandate to maintain international peace and security," Callamard said in a statement.
Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF), also known as Doctors Without Borders, also condemned the US veto.
“By vetoing this resolution, the US stands alone in casting its vote against humanity,” MSF said in its statement. "We are devastated by the UN Security Council’s failure to adopt a resolution demanding a ceasefire in Gaza," it added.
CNN's Kareem El Damanhoury contributed to this report.
This post has been updated with comments from Amnesty International and Médecins Sans Frontières.
8 min ago
Israel's ambassador thanks US for blocking Gaza ceasefire resolution at United Nations
Israel's Ambassador to the United Nations Gilad Erdan thanked the United States on Friday for vetoing a draft Security Council resolution that called for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza.
Erdan thanked President Joe Biden "for standing firm with us," in a post on X, formerly known as Twitter, and added, "A little of the light repelled much of the darkness."
Criticizing the draft resolution proposed by the United Arab Emirates and co-sponsored by some 97 countries for its lack of condemnation of Hamas, Erdan said if it had been passed, it would "effectively allowed Hamas to continue its reign of terror in Gaza."
"It is shocking that while Hamas is firing rockets at Gush Dan from population centers in southern Gaza, the UN is engaged in a detached discussion about a distorted resolution directed at the wrong side and not even condemning Hamas," Erdan said.
8 min ago
Israeli strikes that killed journalist in southern Lebanon appeared deliberate, fellow journalist says
From CNN's Niamh Kennedy
Reuters' journalist Issam Abdallah takes a selfie picture while working in Maras, Turkey, on February 11, 2023. Abdallah was killed by Israeli tank fire on October 13, 2023. Issam Abdallah/Reuters
A journalist with Agence-France Presse who survived Israeli strikes in southern Lebanon in October told CNN it was "hard not to see it as a deliberate strike.”
Forensic analysis by CNN suggests that Israeli tank fire killed Reuters journalist Issam Abdallah and injured six other international journalists in a double strike on October 13, confirming reports by two news organizations and two human rights groups.
AFP and Human Rights Watch claim in their reports that the strike was a "deliberate," targeted attack by Israel on the journalists.
In a statement to Reuters, Israel Defense Forces spokesperson Richard Hecht said: "We don't target journalists." On Friday, the IDF said the incident is still “under review.”
Hecht on October 14 called Abdallah’s death “a tragic thing,” without naming him directly or acknowledging Israel’s involvement.
Dylan Collins, who is the Lebanon/Syria video coordinator for AFP, told CNN's Bianna Golodryga that those impacted by the incident have been grappling since with "grief and exhaustion."
Collins recounted what started as a "pretty quiet day," describing how teams of Reuters and AFP journalists moved toward a plume of smoke after hearing "loud bangs" along the Lebanon-Israel border.
"It seemed like kind of the perfect place to start working you know. We're exposed to multiple Israeli positions along the border. Everyone was wearing flak jackets, helmets with press written across our chests. We had three live feeds to three international news agencies," Collins recounted. "The Israelis had drones in the air the entire time. And I imagine you know with their state of the art surveillance capabilities, they could see our faces, they probably knew which channels we were working for... At around 6:02 that evening, we were struck directly... 37 seconds later, we were struck again at the same exact spot almost," Collins added.
Collins said that although he couldn't speak on behalf of Human Rights Watch, he could recount what he had witnessed.
"It was two strikes 37 seconds apart, almost in the same exact location on a group of journalists, seven journalists all wearing press vests and helmets." "You could say maybe if there was one strike you could say it's a mistake, or by accident, they didn't mean to. But if it's two strikes back to back in the same exact spot, it's kind of hard not to see it as a deliberate strike," Collins added.
Collins reiterated how all the investigations "pointed to a thin stabilized 120-millimeter tank round that killed Issam Abdallah," adding that this is the kind of munition fired by Israeli Merkava tanks.
"I think the evidence is relatively clear in terms of how that how that munition could have been fired," Collins added.
The AFP journalist paid tribute to Abdallah, describing him as the "beating heart of the press scene" in the Lebanese capital of Beirut.
Collins also gave an update on his AFP colleague, Christina Assi, who sustained "devastating" injuries from the strikes which forced her to have one of her legs amputated.
"She's bled more than any human should bleed."
Previous reporting from CNN’s Tamara Qiblawi and Allegra Goodwin
The United States vetoed a UN Security Council resolution Friday calling for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza. Thirteen countries voted in favor while Britain abstained and the US used its veto.
During the debate, the Palestinian ambassador cited the thousands killed or injured in Israel's assault on Gaza, saying "enough is enough," while Israel's envoy said a ceasefire would only extend the war, and that the only option for peace was to eliminate Hamas.
Israel's military said it carried out strikes on about 450 targets over the past day, the highest number reported since the end of a truce with Hamas a week ago. Also, an Israeli flag was raised in the middle of the symbolic Palestine Square in Gaza City, a video shows.
The United States vetoed a United Nations Security Council resolution on Friday calling for an immediate ceasefire in war-torn Gaza amid growing concern about the civilian death toll in the enclave and pressure for the international community to do more to alleviate the humanitarian crisis there.
Thirteen countries were in favor of the resolution while the United States vetoed and the UK abstained. At least 97 other countries joined in the effort, co-sponsoring the United Arab Emirates-drafted bill.
Rejected ceasefire resolution: According to a draft copy presented by the United Arab Emirates, the UN Security Council resolution called for “an immediate humanitarian ceasefire,” as well as “the immediate and unconditional release of all hostages” and “ensuring humanitarian access." Israel's Ambassador to the UN Gilad Erdan thanked the US for its veto decision, but charitable organizations like Human Rights Watch, Oxfam and Amnesty International decried the move. Palestinian Prime Minister Mohammad Shtayyeh and Palestinian Ambassador to the UN Riyad Mansour also condemned the US veto, with Mansour calling it a “sad day.” Hamas, also condemning the veto, described it as an "immoral and inhumane position." As the only country that abstained, the UK's Mission to the UN said the country could not vote on a resolution that "does not condemn the atrocities Hamas committed against innocent Israeli civilians on the 7th of October."
Images of detained men: The Israel Defense Forces and Hamas responded to images that showed a mass detention by the Israeli military of men in Gaza who were blindfolded and stripped down to their underwear. A spokesperson for the Israel Defense Force claimed the men were "Hamas members and suspect Hamas members." A member of Hamas’ political office accused Israel of "kidnapping, invasive searches, and disrobing" what he said was "a group of displaced Palestinian civilians.” At least some of the men detained were civilians with no known affiliation to militant groups, according to a CNN interview with a relative and a statement by one of the men's employers, a news network.
Strikes in Gaza: The IDF said it carried out strikes on about 450 targets in Gaza over the past day — the highest number reported since the end of a truce with Hamas a week ago. The Israeli military continues to fight in Khan Younis in southern Gaza, which it says is a “main stronghold” of Hamas, according to a statement. Videos geolocated Thursday showed a series of heavy strikes in the city, and dozens of casualties were admitted to hospitals in the area.
Status of aid: The head of the main UN relief agency operating in Gaza said the organization is facing collapse as it deals with constant bombardment, insufficient humanitarian supplies and overcrowded shelters. Another UN office said that the "intensity of hostilities and restrictions of movement" on roads were limiting where aid could be delivered, with Gaza's southernmost governorate of Rafah is the "almost exclusive area" in the strip where limited aid distribution is taking place. Israel on Thursday said it will open the Kerem Shalom border crossing for the inspection of aid trucks in the "next few days."
Death toll: Nearly 17,500 Palestinians have been killed in Israeli attacks in Gaza since October 7, the Hamas-run Ministry of Health said Friday, and more than 46,400 people have been injured. A spokesperson added that the occupancy rate in Gaza hospitals has reached 262%, warning that medical institutions have run out of key supplies. The Hamas-run ministry also said it had identified over 300,000 cases of 15 infectious diseases in shelters. CNN cannot independently verify the numbers.
Family members of two hostages currently believed to be held in Gaza confronted Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant outside his home in northern Israel on Friday.
The exchange took place as Gallant tried to explain to two women protesting on the street the Israeli government’s strategy in regard to releasing remaining hostages from Hamas captivity.
“The situation isn’t such that we would give (Hamas) everything, and they give us everything,” Gallant said. “That’s not what they want. They have different aspirations. Therefore, it’s just a psychological deception.”
Ifat Kalderon said “if it doesn’t happen tomorrow, they will actually die.” She is the cousin of Ofer Kalderon, who is thought to be held hostage in Gaza.
“Your whole idea of pumping water [into tunnels], you’ll kill them,” Ifat Kalderon said.
Gallant continued trying to explain the government’s stance.
“I’m explaining something else. Hamas is willing to speak to us only when we’re applying force. If we don’t pressure them, we don’t bring them anywhere,” he said.
Gallant went on to say he believes pressure brought Hamas to a temporary truce and a hostage release deal last month.
“It will happen again,” he tried to reassure the two women.
“With every minute their lives are at risk. Do you know what they eat? Rice and a glass of sea water. How long can they live on that? Without sun and light,” said Dvora Leshem, grandmother of Romi Gonen, who is thought to be held captive in Gaza.
Gallant responded: “We understand the situation, and we want to do things as fast as possible, but unfortunately it doesn’t only depend on us. There is another side and they’re playing, both psychologically and practically."
Leshem urged the minister to first get the hostages out and then fight with Hamas.
Before leaving, Gallant tried to convince the two women, saying: “We will make all efforts.”
“As quickly as possible, so they don’t return inside coffins, but come back alive,” Ifat Kalderon said.
“You will have no one to return,” Leshem warned before Gallant left the scene.
Israel's foreign minister accused the United Nations chief of siding with Hamas after he took the rare move of invoking Article 99 of the UN charter to push for a ceasefire in Gaza earlier this week.
Article 99 gives the secretary general the remit to "bring to the attention of the Security Council any matter which in his opinion may threaten the maintenance of international peace and security."
Secretary-General Antonio Guterres did this on Wednesday when he formally referred the situation in Gaza to the UN Security Council, urging its members to "avert a humanitarian catastrophe" in the besieged enclave.
Israeli Foreign Minister Eli Cohen said in a social media post that Guterres' request "disgraced" his position and was an example of the secretary-general's biased stance against Israel.
It's the first time Guterres invoked Article 99 since he became secretary-general in 2017, a spokesperson said on Wednesday.
In the post, Cohen also expressed his gratitude to the United States after it used its veto to block the Gaza ceasefire draft resolution at the UN Security Council Friday.
He thanked America for "its support to continue the fight to bring the hostages home and to eliminate the Hamas terrorist organization."
CNN's Niamh Kennedy contributed reporting to this post.
Hamas has condemned the United States' decision to veto the Gaza ceasefire draft resolution at the United Nations Security Council on Friday, describing it as an “immoral and inhumane position.”
“America’s obstruction of the issuance of a ceasefire resolution is a direct participation with the (Israeli) occupation in killing our people,” Izzat Al-Rishq, a member of the Hamas political bureau, said in a statement.
Some context: The resolution — presented by the United Arab Emirates — had called for “an immediate humanitarian ceasefire,” as well as “the immediate and unconditional release of all hostages” and “ensuring humanitarian access,” according to a draft copy.
Thirteen countries were in favor, the US vetoed and the UK abstained.
The United States had previously signaled disapproval of the draft text. One of the council’s five permanent members with veto power, the US has repeatedly resisted calls for a “ceasefire,” emphasizing Israel’s right to defend itself following Hamas’ October 7 terror attack.
The vote was the sixth attempt by the 15-member group to reach a consensus on the ongoing war between Israel and Hamas. Only one previous vote was successful, which called last month for “humanitarian pauses and corridors” to be established in Gaza.
CNN's Richard Roth, David Shortell and Caitlin Hu contributed reporting to this post.
The Palestinian Ambassador to the United Nations Riyad Mansour called it a “sad day” Friday after the US vetoed the Security Council's draft resolution that called for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza.
Mansour said he believes one day “those who cannot see reality” will eventually react to “the massive pressure of humanity, from one corner of the globe to the other corner of the globe, with billions of people demanding ceasefire.”
“We are upset like our people, who are furious and upset with the UN system — with the United Nations, with the Security Council, with the General Assembly — and they are correctly upset and angry and frustrated because they see this massive Israeli war machine killing them in the thousands, and yet the Security Council has been paralyzed,” Mansour said.
Thirteen countries voted in favor of the Security Council draft resolution while Britain abstained.
Palestinian Prime Minister Mohammad Shtayyeh also condemned the US veto.
“The failure of the Security Council to stop the aggression is a disgrace and a new license for continued killing, destruction, and displacement,” Shtayyeh said in a statement. “[T]he use of the veto exposes the hypocrisy of claiming to care about the lives of civilians.”
Shtayyeh thanked countries that voted in favor of the resolution and urged them to continue their humanitarian aid efforts as well as attempts to stop Israeli attacks on the Gaza Strip.
The draft resolution was co-sponsored by 97 countries.
CNN’s Abeer Salman contributed reporting.
The post was updated with the statement from the Palestinian prime minister.
The UK’s Mission to the United Nations said the country could not vote on a Gaza ceasefire resolution that "does not condemn the atrocities Hamas committed against innocent Israeli civilians on the 7th of October."
The message comes after the UK abstained from a Security Council resolution calling for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza amid growing concern about the civilian death toll there. Thirteen countries voted in favor of the resolution which was vetoed by the United States.
A draft version of the resolution, presented by the United Arab Emirates, had called for “an immediate humanitarian ceasefire,” as well as “the immediate and unconditional release of all hostages” and “ensuring humanitarian access,” according to a draft copy.
Meanwhile, the UK added that it is “gravely concerned” about the humanitarian situation in Gaza and that civilian deaths and displacement in the strip cannot continue.
“Israel needs to be able to address the threat posed by Hamas and it needs to do so in a manner that abides by international humanitarian law, so that such an attack can never be carried out again,” the statement said.
Human Rights Watch decried the United States' decision to veto the Gaza ceasefire resolution at the United Nations Security Council on Friday.
“By continuing to provide Israel with weapons and diplomatic cover as it commits atrocities, including collectively punishing the Palestinian civilian population in Gaza, the US risks complicity in war crimes," the UN director at HRW Louis Charbonneau said in a statement following the veto. “Once again the US used its veto to prevent the Security Council from making some of the calls the US itself has been demanding of Israel and Palestinian armed groups, including compliance with international humanitarian law, protection of civilians, and releasing all civilians held hostage,” the statement added.
More reaction: Abby Maxman, Oxfam America's president and CEO, also criticized the decision, saying Friday that the veto "puts another nail in the coffin for US credibility on matters of human rights."
"Today, the Biden administration had yet another opportunity to live up to its lofty rhetoric supporting human rights and a rules-based international order. The world is ready for the horrific carnage in Gaza to end and focus on the release of hostages and helping Palestinians rebuild their lives, " Maxman said in a statement.
Agnès Callamard, Amnesty International’s secretary general, said by vetoing the resolution "the US has displayed a callous disregard for civilian suffering in the face of a staggering death toll, extensive destruction and an unprecedented humanitarian catastrophe" in Gaza.
Callamard also criticized the US for sending weapons to Israel. She said it is contributing to the destruction in the enclave.
"The US has brazenly wielded and weaponized its veto to strongarm the UN Security Council, further undermining its credibility and ability to live up to its mandate to maintain international peace and security," Callamard said in a statement.
Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF), also known as Doctors Without Borders, also condemned the US veto.
“By vetoing this resolution, the US stands alone in casting its vote against humanity,” MSF said in its statement. "We are devastated by the UN Security Council’s failure to adopt a resolution demanding a ceasefire in Gaza," it added.
CNN's Kareem El Damanhoury contributed to this report.
This post has been updated with comments from Amnesty International and Médecins Sans Frontières.
Israel's Ambassador to the United Nations Gilad Erdan thanked the United States on Friday for vetoing a draft Security Council resolution that called for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza.
Erdan thanked President Joe Biden "for standing firm with us," in a post on X, formerly known as Twitter, and added, "A little of the light repelled much of the darkness."
Criticizing the draft resolution proposed by the United Arab Emirates and co-sponsored by some 97 countries for its lack of condemnation of Hamas, Erdan said if it had been passed, it would "effectively allowed Hamas to continue its reign of terror in Gaza."
"It is shocking that while Hamas is firing rockets at Gush Dan from population centers in southern Gaza, the UN is engaged in a detached discussion about a distorted resolution directed at the wrong side and not even condemning Hamas," Erdan said.
Reuters' journalist Issam Abdallah takes a selfie picture while working in Maras, Turkey, on February 11, 2023. Abdallah was killed by Israeli tank fire on October 13, 2023. Issam Abdallah/Reuters
A journalist with Agence-France Presse who survived Israeli strikes in southern Lebanon in October told CNN it was "hard not to see it as a deliberate strike.”
Forensic analysis by CNN suggests that Israeli tank fire killed Reuters journalist Issam Abdallah and injured six other international journalists in a double strike on October 13, confirming reports by two news organizations and two human rights groups.
AFP and Human Rights Watch claim in their reports that the strike was a "deliberate," targeted attack by Israel on the journalists.
In a statement to Reuters, Israel Defense Forces spokesperson Richard Hecht said: "We don't target journalists." On Friday, the IDF said the incident is still “under review.”
Hecht on October 14 called Abdallah’s death “a tragic thing,” without naming him directly or acknowledging Israel’s involvement.
Dylan Collins, who is the Lebanon/Syria video coordinator for AFP, told CNN's Bianna Golodryga that those impacted by the incident have been grappling since with "grief and exhaustion."
Collins recounted what started as a "pretty quiet day," describing how teams of Reuters and AFP journalists moved toward a plume of smoke after hearing "loud bangs" along the Lebanon-Israel border.
"It seemed like kind of the perfect place to start working you know. We're exposed to multiple Israeli positions along the border. Everyone was wearing flak jackets, helmets with press written across our chests. We had three live feeds to three international news agencies," Collins recounted. "The Israelis had drones in the air the entire time. And I imagine you know with their state of the art surveillance capabilities, they could see our faces, they probably knew which channels we were working for... At around 6:02 that evening, we were struck directly... 37 seconds later, we were struck again at the same exact spot almost," Collins added.
Collins said that although he couldn't speak on behalf of Human Rights Watch, he could recount what he had witnessed.
"It was two strikes 37 seconds apart, almost in the same exact location on a group of journalists, seven journalists all wearing press vests and helmets." "You could say maybe if there was one strike you could say it's a mistake, or by accident, they didn't mean to. But if it's two strikes back to back in the same exact spot, it's kind of hard not to see it as a deliberate strike," Collins added.
Collins reiterated how all the investigations "pointed to a thin stabilized 120-millimeter tank round that killed Issam Abdallah," adding that this is the kind of munition fired by Israeli Merkava tanks.
"I think the evidence is relatively clear in terms of how that how that munition could have been fired," Collins added.
The AFP journalist paid tribute to Abdallah, describing him as the "beating heart of the press scene" in the Lebanese capital of Beirut.
Collins also gave an update on his AFP colleague, Christina Assi, who sustained "devastating" injuries from the strikes which forced her to have one of her legs amputated.
"She's bled more than any human should bleed."
Previous reporting from CNN’s Tamara Qiblawi and Allegra Goodwin
