New York. 22 December 2023 (dpa/MIA) - After days of wrangling, the UN Security Council adopted a resolution calling for more humanitarian aid for civilians in the Gaza Strip on Friday, agreeing on a significantly watered-down text that allowed the US, Israel's biggest backer, to abstain.

The UN's most powerful body has postponed a vote on a new resolution on the Gaza war several times this week, after it appeared likely that the US, a permanent member of the council, would veto a draft proposed by the United Arab Emirates to protect the interests of Israel.

Massive concessions by the negotiators prevented the resolution from failing at the last second. A total of 13 of the 15 countries represented on the council voted in favour of the text, with Russia abstaining alongside the US.

The resolution, which is binding under international law, calls on Israel to ensure "immediate humanitarian access" to the Gaza Strip as well as creating "the conditions for a sustainable cessation of hostilities."

On the contentious issue of how to check aid supplies going into Gaza, the Council members agreed to appoint a responsible UN coordinator who should also ensure the acceleration of deliveries in cooperation with all actors.

However, other passages were deleted following pressure from the US, including a paragraph condemning "all violations of international humanitarian law, including all indiscriminate attacks on civilians and civilian objects".

A previously demanded immediate suspension of hostilities to allow aid deliveries was also not included.