US 'responsible for bloodshed' of Gaza children after UN veto: Abbas

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas said on Saturday the United States was "responsible for the bloodshed" of children in Gaza after it vetoed a UN Security Council resolution calling for a ceasefire in the territory.

"The president has described the American position as aggressive and immoral, a blatant violation of all humanitarian values and principles, and holds the United States responsible for the bloodshed of Palestinian children, women, and elderly in Gaza" due to its support for Israel, said a statement from Abbas's office.

Washington's veto at a special meeting of the Security Council on Friday scuttled the growing efforts towards an immediate humanitarian ceasefire in the territory led by UN chief Antonio Guterres and Arab nations.

American envoy Robert Wood said the resolution was "divorced from reality" and "would have not moved the needle forward on the ground".

Israel praised the veto, but the resolution's sponsor, the UAE, said it was "deeply disappointed" by the result.

ALSO READ:

• Watch: Calls for Gaza ceasefire ring out in Dubai as 2,000 protesters march on COP28 grounds