The US has for the sixth time vetoed a draft resolution at the United Nations Security Council that would have demanded an immediate and permanent ceasefire in Gaza and the release of hostages.
US deputy Middle East envoy Morgan Ortagus said the text did not go far enough in condemning Hamas or recognize Israel's right to defend itself.
All 14 other members of the Security Council voted in favor of the draft resolution - which described the humanitarian situation in Gaza as catastrophic and called on Israel to lift all aid restrictions.
It comes as the UN's humanitarian office warns that the last lifelines for civilians are collapsing in Gaza City as Israel expands its military offensive.
On the global stage, Israel and its closest ally look increasingly isolated.
Speaking prior to the vote, Ortagus said Washington's opposition to the resolution should come as no surprise. It fails to condemn Hamas or recognize Israel's right to defend itself, and it wrongly legitimizes the false narratives benefiting Hamas, which have sadly found currency in this council, she said.
After the vote, UN members reacted swiftly to express their disappointment. Palestinian Ambassador to the UN Riyad Mansour called the US's decision deeply regrettable and painful, saying it had prevented the Security Council from playing its rightful role in the face of these atrocities.
Pakistan's ambassador Asim Ahmad described the veto as a dark moment in this chamber. The world is watching. The cries of children should pierce our hearts, he said.
Meanwhile, Israeli tanks and troops are continuing to advance into Gaza City on the third day of a ground offensive, forcing thousands of people to flee.
Olga Cherevko, a spokeswoman for the UN's humanitarian office, told the BBC the situation in Gaza City is nothing short of cataclysmic.
At least 65,141 people have been killed in Israeli attacks in Gaza since an offensive began in response to a Hamas-led attack on southern Israel on 7 October 2023, according to the territory's health ministry, which also reports an increase in deaths due to malnutrition and starvation.
