UN chief disappointed at US veto of Gaza draft resolution

UNITED NATIONS - UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said Thursday that he was disappointed at Wednesday's US veto of a Security Council draft resolution on Gaza.

The draft resolution, which would have demanded an immediate ceasefire in Gaza and the lifting of restrictions on humanitarian aid, won the support of 14 out of the 15 Security Council members. The United States single-handedly vetoed the draft.

Asked on Thursday whether he was disappointed at the result, Guterres said, "Of course."

"We are always disappointed when ceasefires do not materialize, releases of hostages (do not happen), and humanitarian aid is not distributed or is distributed in a way that puts at risk the lives of so many Palestinians," he told reporters.

Guterres said the United Nations will do everything it can to help Gazans. But he stressed that the world body's work will be effective only if there is a permanent ceasefire, the unconditional and immediate release of all hostages and unlimited access for humanitarian aid.

He said it is essential to keep alive the two-state solution perspective.

"And for those that doubt about the two-state solution, I ask: What is the alternative? Is it a one-state solution in which either the Palestinians are expelled or the Palestinians will be forced to live in their land without rights? That would be totally unacceptable," he said.

"I firmly believe that it is the duty of the international community to keep the two-state solution alive and then to materialize the conditions to make it happen," Guterres added.