UNSC vote on new Gaza ceasefire text postponed to Monday

A vote at the UN Security Council on a new text calling for an "immediate" ceasefire in the Israel-Hamas war was postponed to Monday, diplomatic sources told AFP, after a separate, US-lead draft resolution was vetoed.

The United States, Israel's main ally and military backer, had put forward a resolution mentioning "the imperative of an immediate and sustained ceasefire" and condemning the October 7 attack by Hamas.

Russia and China on Friday vetoed that resolution, which had stopped short of explicitly demanding that Israel immediately end its campaign in Gaza.

The new ceasefire text was meant to go to a vote on Saturday, but was pushed back to allow further discussions of the draft, the diplomatic sources said.

More than 1,160 people, mostly civilians, died on October 7 when Palestinian group Hamas infiltrated Israel in the country's deadliest attack, according to Israeli official figures.

Israel has vowed to eradicate Hamas, which controls the Gaza Strip. More than 32,000 people, mostly civilians, have died in the retaliatory campaign, according to the Gaza health ministry, and the United Nations has warned of imminent famine in the territory.

Agene France-Presse