Malaysia disappointed on UN's failure to pass cease-fire resolution on Gaza

Malaysia on Sunday said it was disappointed with the UN Security Council's failure to pass a cease-fire resolution on the raging Palestinian-Israeli conflict.

Russia and China, the two of the five permanent Security Council members, on Friday vetoed the US-proposed resolution which linked a cease-fire in Gaza to the release of hostages by Hamas.

"The resolution proposed by the US was not agreed by Russia and China because there were some things that did not touch on the whole. The US used this opportunity to call Hamas a terrorist," Mohamad was quoted as saying by state-run Bernama news agency.

"Malaysia did not agree that Hamas be termed terrorist and the resolution also did not mention that Palestinians be allowed to return to their hometowns but instead mentions that hostages from Hamas must be returned to Israel," he said.

Israel has waged a deadly military offensive on the Gaza Strip since an Oct. 7 cross-border attack led by Hamas in which some 1,200 Israelis were killed and around 250 others taken as hostages. About half of the hostages were released during a week-long truce in November.

More than 32,200 Palestinians, mostly women and children, have since been killed in Gaza, and more than 74,500 injured besides leading to mass destruction, displacement and conditions for famine.