UNSC Delays Vote on Gaza Aid to Thursday to 'Allow Additional Time for Diplomacy'

UNITED NATIONS (Sputnik) – The UN Security Council has postponed a vote on a resolution that calls for boosting humanitarian aid for Gaza until Thursday morning "to allow additional time for diplomacy," UNSC President Jose De La Gasca said on Wednesday.

Ecuador holds the presidency of the council for the month of December.

"The Security Council has agreed to continue negotiations today to allow additional time for diplomacy. The presidency will schedule adoption for tomorrow morning," the Ecuadorian diplomat said.

The UN Security Council was originally set to vote on the Arab-sponsored resolution on Monday. The vote has since been pushed back several times in an effort to avoid another veto by the US.

"We believe today giving a little bit space for additional diplomacy could yield positive results, and we are going to be optimistic trying to do that," UAE ambassador to the UN Lana Nusseibeh told reporters.

Nusseibeh pointed out that discussions are going on at the highest levels, adding that "diplomacy takes time."

The UAE envoy expressed confidence that the resolution would be adopted.

"I am optimistic, but if this fails, then we will continue to keep trying because we have to keep trying. There is too much suffering on the ground," she said.

Nusseibeh also stressed that the ongoing discussions between Egypt, Qatar, and Hamas did not impact the decision to delay the vote. "They have not been raised in Council deliberations," she said.

The draft resolution calls for a halt to hostilities in Gaza to allow for urgently needed aid deliveries to flow in via all land, sea and air routes. It also asks the UN Secretary-General to create a monitoring mechanism for aid to ensure that no humanitarian relief is provided to parties to the conflict.