UN resolution on Gaza hampered by issues important to US: cessation of hostilities and aid monitors

By EDITH M. LEDERER
Associated Press

UNITED NATIONS (AP) — The Security Council’s adoption of a new U.N. resolution to spur desperately needed aid to Gaza has been bogged down by two issues: a reference to a cessation of hostilities, which the U.S. has opposed, and putting the U.N. in charge of inspecting trucks to ensure they are actually carrying humanitarian goods, which Israel has been carrying out. A vote on the Arab-sponsored resolution, first postponed from Monday, was pushed back again until Wednesday as council members continued intense negotiations to avoid another veto by the United States. “We’re still working through the modalities of the resolution,” U.S. National Security Council spokesperson John Kirby said Tuesday afternoon when the vote was still set for 5 p.m.