The United States has vetoed a UN Security Council resolution that called for an immediate, unconditional and permanent ceasefire in Gaza, on the grounds it would not have secured the release of hostages.

The United States, which has blocked four other resolutions, said it vetoed the most recent version because it did not make the release of hostages a precondition for a truce.

The U.S. has vetoed a U.N. Gaza ceasefire plan over its lack of a link to the release of Israeli hostages still held by Iran-backed Hamas militants.