MOSCOW, October 17. /TASS/. The Russia-drafted UN Security Council resolution on a humanitarian ceasefire in the zone of the Palestinian-Israeli conflict was not adopted due to the position of Washington and other Western capitals, the Russian foreign ministry said on Tuesday.

"Yesterday’s voting demonstrated that it was the position held by Washington and other Western capitals that made it impossible to make the only natural and logical decision, which at this point, is the absolute humanitarian imperative and moral duty of all responsible members of the international community," it said.

The ministry recalled that the draft resolution provided for a set of urgent measures geared to curtail violence. "In view of the extremely tense situation, it was necessary to act without delay. That is why our draft document had neither political elements and assessments nor any mention of this or that party to the conflict, as this could make it harder to pass. Nearly 30 countries, including 17 from the Arab world, co-sponsored the Russian initiative," it noted. "In spite of this, the draft was not adopted. Three nations (the United States, the United Kingdom, and France) along with Japan were against. Albania, Brazil, Ghana, Malta, Switzerland, and Ecuador abstained."

So, according to the ministry, the UN Security Council failed to pass a resolution that could help prevent further bloodshed. "For more than ten days, the UN Security Council has neither held an open meeting on the situation in the zone of the Palestinian-Israeli conflict nor coordinated talks with the countries concerned to outline further practical steps," the ministry stressed.

The ministry noted that the number of casualties in the zone of the Palestinian-Israeli conflict continues to rise while the UN Security Council sits on its thumbs. "There was no need to wait for what happened next: the number of those killed and wounded in Israel stands at 1,400 and 3,900, casualties among Palestinians exceed 2,800 and 10,800, respectively," it said. "According to the United Nations, some 450 children have been killed in Gaza and around 750 are under the debris of houses destroyed in air raids."

"This is happening amid the inaction of the UN Security Council, which is paralyzed like the Middle East Quarter of international mediators, comprised of Russia, the US, EU and the UN used to be due to the selfish interests of some countries. Their unilateral actions ended in utter failure. Moreover, they have triggered a large-scale escalation of violence in the Middle East," the ministry stressed.

The ministry also noted that more than two million Gaza residents have been left without water, food, fuels, and medical assistance and the only checkpoint on the border with Egypt was never opened for the exit of refugees and humanitarian aid deliveries. "Actually, around 1,000 Russian citizens, members of their families and others who have asked us to evacuate them are now hostages to the military blockade of Gaza," it added.