US vetoes UN Gaza ceasefire resolution amid conflict

The BBC has rejected criticism from the White House regarding its coverage of the Gaza conflict, specifically addressing claims that it took down a story and relied on Hamas' account. The BBC stated that it did not remove any story and stood by its journalism, explaining that updates to casualty figures were normal practice for fast-moving news. The White House press secretary, Karoline Leavitt, had accused the BBC of taking 'the word of Hamas' and retracting a story, which the BBC denied.

The US vetoed a UN Security Council resolution calling for an unconditional and permanent ceasefire in Gaza, with the other 14 members voting in favor. The US ambassador cited concerns that the resolution would undermine diplomatic efforts and failed to condemn Hamas as a terrorist organization. The move comes amid growing concern over aid distribution in Gaza, where over 2 million people are at risk of starvation.

The U.S.-backed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF) has paused its operations in Gaza for a day due to security concerns following reports of dozens of Palestinians being killed while trying to access its aid distribution hubs. The GHF has asked the Israeli military to enhance security measures and provide clearer guidance to civilians seeking aid. The organization has been criticized by the United Nations and other aid agencies, who accuse it of weaponizing access to food and creating a distraction. The Israeli military has denied accusations of shooting at civilians and instead blamed Hamas for sabotaging the GHF effort. The conflict in Gaza continues, with the Israeli military vowing to continue its assault on Hamas until the remaining Israeli hostages are brought back home.

A CNN investigation into a deadly incident near an aid distribution site in southern Gaza on Sunday points to the Israeli military opening fire on crowds of Palestinians as they tried to make their way to the fenced enclosure to get food. The incident resulted in at least 31 Palestinians killed and dozens injured. Eyewitnesses and videos analyzed by CNN suggest that Israeli troops shot at crowds in volleys of gunfire, with some witnesses seeing gunfire emanating from Israeli tanks. The Israeli military initially denied firing at civilians but later acknowledged firing 'warning shots' at suspects. The incident has raised concerns about the safety of the new aid distribution mechanism, which has been criticized for becoming a 'death trap' for desperate people seeking food in the strip.

The United States vetoed a UN Security Council resolution calling for an immediate ceasefire between Israel and Hamas in Gaza. The resolution was supported by 14 other nations, with no abstentions. The US ambassador to the UN argued that the resolution was unacceptable because it did not call for Hamas to disarm and leave Gaza, while the UK's representative expressed regret that the resolution could not achieve consensus and emphasized the need to end the war and alleviate the humanitarian situation in Gaza.

Israeli officials are objecting to a UN Security Council resolution that calls for a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas, the return of hostages, and the lifting of restrictions on humanitarian aid, warning that it undermines aid efforts and leaves Hamas in power.

Cindy McCain, executive director of the UN's World Food Programme, warns that hundreds of thousands in Gaza are 'catastrophically food insecure' and urges Israel to allow humanitarian aid into Gaza 'at scale' to prevent a generation of malnourished children.

A paramedic, Assad al Nsasrah, who survived an Israeli attack that killed 15 aid workers in Gaza on March 15, has described being tortured while in Israeli custody. Al Nsasrah was one of two survivors of the attack and was detained for 37 days. He alleges that he was subjected to physical and psychological torture, including being beaten, starved, and exposed to loud music. The Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) claims that al Nsasrah was detained based on intelligence indicating involvement in terrorist activity, but the details of this intelligence were not disclosed. Al Nsasrah's testimony corroborates other evidence, including the IDF's own report, that the aid workers were shot at point-blank range.