Palestinian presidency, Hamas condemn U.S. veto of Gaza ceasefire resolution

GAZA, Feb. 21 (Xinhua) -- The Palestinian presidency and the Palestinian Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas) on Wednesday condemned the United States veto of a resolution demanding an immediate ceasefire in the Gaza Strip.

In a statement released by Palestine's official news agency WAFA, the Palestinian presidency expressed its "surprise at the continued refusal of the U.S. to stop the war" that Israel is waging against the Palestinian people.

"The U.S. veto, which defies the will of the international community, will give an additional green light to Israel to continue its aggression against our people in the Gaza Strip, and to carry out its bloody attack on Rafah," the statement said, adding the U.S. showed its "support and protection" for Israel by vetoing the resolution.

The Palestinian presidency called on the international community to search for solutions to stop the Israeli war in the occupied Palestinian territory, especially in the Gaza Strip.

Hamas said in a statement that the U.S. administration bears responsibility for obstructing efforts to end Israeli "aggression" in Gaza.

The U.S. gives "a green light for Israel to kill our defenseless people through bombing, starvation, and is a partner in the war," read the Hamas statement.

During an emergency session of the UN Security Council held in New York on Tuesday, the U.S. vetoed a draft resolution put forward on behalf of Arab states by Algeria demanding an immediate humanitarian ceasefire in Gaza.

Algeria's draft resolution was backed by 13 out of the 15 Security Council members, while the United States vetoed against it and Britain abstained. It is the third time since the outbreak of the Israel-Hamas conflict in October of last year that the U.S. interfered to fail a draft resolution aimed to reach a ceasefire.