UNITED NATIONS, December 22. /TASS/. Russia has not vetoed the UN Security Council’s new humanitarian resolution on the Gaza Strip only out of solidarity with Arab countries, Russian Permanent Representative to the UN Vasily Nebenzya said.

"Had not this document been supported by several Arab countries, we would have undoubtedly vetoed it," he said following the vote.

The diplomat noted that several countries, including some Arab states, "withdrew their co-authorship." "We invariably proceed from the fact that the Arab world is capable of making its own decisions and taking full responsibility for them. This is the only reason why we did not block this document," he explained.

A total of 13 countries voted for the resolution, while Russia and the US abstained. The document required nine votes to pass, provided that none of the permanent members of the UN Security Council voted against it.

The 16-point document, drafted by Egypt, the UAE and Palestine, is aimed at facilitating humanitarian aid deliveries to the Gaza Strip. The resolution also calls for the immediate release of all hostages and strongly condemns all violations of humanitarian law, including indiscriminate strikes on civilians and terrorist attacks. However, the radical Palestinian movement Hamas is not mentioned in this regard.

The initial text of the resolution was significantly changed because of the United States’ position. The key change concerns the idea of establishing a UN-controlled mechanism to monitor humanitarian supplies. It was replaced with a proposal to appoint a coordinator who is supposed to create a UN mechanism to step up humanitarian supplies to Gaza. Besides, the call for an immediate ceasefire was replaced with a call for urgent steps to ensure a sustainable truce. Russia proposed an amendment returning the call for an immediate ceasefire to the document but the US blocked it.