UN Security Council moves to attempt increase in Gaza aid after US abstains

The United Nations Security Council approved a scaled-back initiative today, Friday, to increase humanitarian aid to the Gaza Strip, calling for urgent steps "to create the conditions for a sustainable cessation of hostilities." 

This comes after a week of voting postponement and intense negotiations to reach an agreement and avoid the United States using its veto power. 

Amid global outrage over the rising death toll in Gaza during 11 weeks of war between Israel and the Palestinian Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas), exacerbating the humanitarian crisis in the Palestinian territory, the US abstained to allow the 15-member council to adopt a resolution drafted by the United Arab Emirates. 

The remaining council members voted for the resolution except for Russia which also abstained. 

Reuters