The UN Security Council members have rejected a resolution proposed by Russia calling for a humanitarian ceasefire in Gaza with Malta abstaining from the vote.

“By failing to condemn Hamas, Russia is giving cover to a terrorist group that brutalises innocent civilians. It is outrageous, hypocritical and indefensible,” the Permanent Representative of the US said.

The draft resolution received five votes in favour – China, Gabon, Mozambique, Russia, and the United Arab Emirates – four against – France, Japan, the United Kingdom, and the United States – and six abstentions – Malta, Brazil, Albania, Ecuador, Ghana, and Switzerland. 

Malta’s vote comes soon after the island’s  Foreign Minister Ian Borg has insisted that any discussion about the ongoing Israel-Gaza war must start with a wholehearted condemnation of Hamas’ attacks, stating that “no story or circumstance” can justify the terror attacks.

The Permanent Representative of Russia stated that the failure to adopt the resolution was due to the “selfish intention of the Western bloc,” citing political interests as the reason for blocking a unified message.

He explained that the delegation of Western countries essentially “stomped” on global hopes for the Council to put an end to violence.

However, the US representative explained that the motivation behind its vote is that it “cannot allow this Council to unfairly shift the blame to Israel and excuse Hamas for its decades of cruelty”.

Meanwhile, the Permanent Observer of the Observer State of Palestine to the UN urged the EU to not “send signals that Palestinian lives do not matter”.

“Do not dare say Israel is not responsible for the bombs it is dropping on their heads.”

He further noted that what is happening today in Gaza is not a military operation, but a full-scale assault against his people and a massacre against innocent civilians.

On the other hand, the Permanent Representative of Israel to the UN said that Hamas is driven by an ideology “no different than the Nazis”, made clear in their charter that called for “obliterating” Israel.

“Hamas is not a political organization, it is a terror organisation.”

He further called on the Council to hold Hamas fully and solely accountable for the situation in Gaza, as well as fully support Israel’s right to defend itself and to immediately and unconditionally demand the release of all hostages.

For a Security Council resolution to be adopted by the UN, there has to be nine votes in favour which includes unanimous agreement from the five Permanent Members.

What do you make of the Security Council’s decision?