The UN Security Council has passed a resolution calling for an "immediate ceasefire" in Gaza
In a change in position, the US refrained from vetoing the measure, which also calls for the release of hostages
The US move signals divergence with Israel - although the White House insists it's not a policy shift
In response, Israel has cancelled its delegation's planned visit to the White House this week
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu calls it a "clear retreat" from the previous US position
The US says it's "very disappointed" by the cancelled visit - but says a separate visit by Israel's defence minister will go ahead
The Security Council resolution was approved by 14 votes to none, with one abstention - from the US
Barbara Woodward, the UK representative at the UN, earlier said: "We call for this resolution to be implemented immediately."
Watch the full clip below.
UN ceasefire calls: 'A humanitarian catastrophe unfolding before our eyes'
UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres says today's resolution "must be implemented" to secure a ceasefire and the "immediate and unconditional release of all hostages".
"Failure would be unforgivable," he says on X, the platform formerly known as Twitter.
Guterres has repeatedly called for Israel to give "total" access to humanitarian goods throughout Gaza, where the UN says some 1.1m people are struggling with catastrophic hunger and starvation.
"It is time to silence the guns," he said at the Rafah crossing between Egypt and Gaza last week.
Bernd Debusmann Jr
US Reporter
The US ambassador to the UN, Linda Thomas-Greenfield, has set out why the US abstained on the UN Security Council's Gaza resolution.
First, she refers to an earlier US resolution that was blocked by Russia and China as "they still can't bring themselves to condemn Hamas’ terrorist attacks on October 7".
"They have shown time and time again that they are not actually interested in advancing a durable peace through diplomatic efforts," she says.
On today's resolution, Thomas-Greenfield believes "key edits" were ignored, particularly the condemnation of Hamas.
"We did not agree with everything in the resolution," she says. "For that reason, we were unfortunately not able to vote yes."
She adds: "However, as I said before, we fully support some of the critical objectives in this nonbinding resolution.
"And we believe it was important for the council to speak out and make clear that any ceasefire must come with the release of all hostages."
Some reaction now from the US on Israel cancelling a visit to the US this week.
White House spokesperson John Kirby says the US was "very disappointed" Israel would not send its delegation to Washington in order "to have full conversation on [Israel's planned offensive in] Rafah".
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the US's failure to veto the ceasefire resolution was a "clear retreat" from its previous position.
He added it would hurt war efforts against Hamas in Gaza - as well as efforts to release over 130 hostages being held there.
As we just reported, 14 voted in favour of the resolution and zero against, with one abstention.
Here's a video of the moment it was announced.
Moment UN Security Council passes call for ceasefire
In short, the 10 elected members of the UN Security Council proposed the resolution:
"The Palestinian people has suffered greatly," Algeria's UN Ambassador Amar Bendjama said after the vote.
"This bloodbath has continued for far too long. It is our obligation to put an end to this before it is too late."
There are five permanent Security Council members - China, Russia, France, the UK and US - and 10 non-permanent members elected for two-year terms by the UN General Assembly.
Fourteen members voted in favour of the resolution - with one abstention from the US.
The abstention on the Gaza ceasefire vote at the UN does not represent a shift in policy, White House spokesman John Kirby said.
Kirby said the final UN resolution did not have language the US deemed essential - hence the abstenion.
He also said that the US would keep talking to Israeli counterparts even if - as we just reported - they didn't send a delegation this week.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has officially cancelled an Israeli delegation visit to the White House this week.
In a statement posted online by public broadcaster Kann, the prime minister's office said that the decision was made "in light of the change in the US position".
Netanyahu had previously threatened to cancel the visit, which comes ahead of an anticipated Israeli ground offensive in Gaza - which the Biden administration has opposed.
Stay with us for more updates.
You join us as the UN Security Council has passed a resolution calling for an "immediate ceasefire" in Gaza - something the body has repeatedly tried and failed to do since the war began in October.
It became possible after the US refrained from vetoing the measure in a change from its previous position - signalling a growing divergence between Washington and its ally Israel over the offensive in Gaza.
The UN resolution also demands the immediate and unconditional release of all hostages.
Stick with us as we bring you the latest updates - and analysis of what this means - right here.
Image source, Reuters