Democrat lawmaker slams US move to veto UN resolution on Gaza cease-fire

Democrat lawmaker Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez on Sunday slammed the US for vetoing a UN Security Council resolution calling for an immediate humanitarian cease-fire in the Gaza Strip, calling the move "shameful."

"The Biden Admin can no longer reconcile their professed concern for Palestinians and human rights while also single-handedly vetoing the UN's call for cease-fire and sidestepping the entire US Congress to unconditionally back the indiscriminate bombing of Gaza," Cortez said on X.

The US vetoed a UN Security Council draft resolution on Friday that demanded an immediate cease-fire to halt the ongoing bloodshed in the Gaza Strip.

The text, which was co-sponsored by nearly 100 UN member states, received the support of 13 Security Council members. The UK, also a permanent council member with veto power, abstained.

Tel Aviv has pressed ahead with its offensive after the US blocked the international push for a truce, and approved more munitions to its ally.

It launched relentless air and ground attacks on the Gaza Strip following a cross-border attack by the Palestinian group Hamas on Oct. 7.

Israel resumed its military offensive on the Gaza Strip on Dec. 1 after the end of a weeklong humanitarian pause with the Palestinian group Hamas.

Nearly 18,000 Palestinians mostly children and women have been killed and more than 49,200 others injured in Israeli attacks on the besieged enclave since Oct. 7.