The United Nations Security Council faced a divided vote on a Russian resolution addressing the escalating violence in the Middle East, with delegates declining to support the motion that did not specifically single out Hamas for its surprise attack on Israel, which resulted in at least 1,400 casualties.

As Israel prepared for a potential ground assault on the Gaza Strip following air and artillery strikes that reportedly claimed over 2,750 lives, the international community grappled with how to address the situation.

Only four countries voted in favor of Russia’s proposed text, while four others, including the United States, voted against it. Six nations abstained from voting. A separate text, proposed by Brazil, which explicitly condemned the Islamist group Hamas, appeared to have broader support and was expected to be voted on at a later session.

Vassily Nebenzia, Russia’s UN ambassador, noted that despite the resolution’s failure, it had successfully spurred a substantive discussion in the Security Council on the matter. He stated that without Russia’s encouragement, the discussion might have been limited to empty debates.

The United Kingdom, which voted against the Russian proposal alongside the United States, criticized Moscow for its lack of consultation and accused Russia of not genuinely seeking consensus. Barbara Woodward, the UK’s representative at the UN, argued that they could not support a resolution that failed to condemn Hamas’ acts of terrorism.

Israel’s Gilad Erdan stressed the importance of the Security Council’s role, describing the situation as one of its most pivotal crossroads since its inception. He called for the council to designate Hamas as a terrorist organization and emphasized the need to support the fight for civilization.

On the Palestinian side, Ambassador Riyad Mansour appealed to the council’s moral responsibility to act and prevent an Israeli assault on Gaza, which he described as taking a heavy toll on innocent lives. He urged the council not to signal that Palestinian lives do not matter and emphasized the indiscriminate nature of the military operation.

Amid the escalating conflict, Israel cut off supplies of water and power to the isolated Gaza Strip, and more than a million people were warned to leave the northern part of the densely populated enclave. The UN agency supporting Palestinian refugees warned of an “unprecedented human catastrophe” in Gaza if essential supplies were not restored.