The United Nations Security Council has passed a resolution calling for an immediate cease-fire in Gaza, a move that prompted Israel to cancel high-level meetings with the Biden administration.

U.S. Ambassador Linda Thomas-Greenfield abstained during the vote at the United Nations in New York on Monday, allowing the resolution to pass.

This decision by the U.S. angered Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s government, which had intended to send top officials to Washington to discuss plans for a potential ground invasion of Rafah in the southern Gaza Strip.

The resolution, which was approved by the Security Council, emphasizes the urgent need to expand the flow of humanitarian assistance to and reinforce the protection of civilians in the entire Gaza Strip.

U.S. President Joe Biden attends a meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, as he visits Israel amid the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas, in Tel Aviv, Israel, October 18, 2023. REUTERS/Evelyn Hockstein

Humanitarian assistance

It also reiterates the demand for the lifting of all barriers to the provision of humanitarian assistance at scale.

The U.S. abstention on the resolution represents a significant departure from its previous stance, where it had used its veto power to shield its ally Israel in similar situations.

The decision reflects growing global pressure for a truce in the ongoing conflict, which has claimed numerous lives and caused immense suffering, particularly among civilians in Gaza.

While the U.S. said that there was no policy change despite the abstention, Israeli officials expressed frustration and disappointment with the move.

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Netanyahu’s government viewed the U.S. decision as a “clear retreat” from its previous position and believed it would undermine efforts to combat Hamas in Gaza and to secure the release of hostages held by the militant group.

The cancellation of the planned high-level meetings between Israel and the Biden administration underscores the diplomatic fallout from the U.N. resolution and the broader tensions surrounding the conflict in Gaza.