The UN Security Council has passed a resolution demanding an ‘immediate’ ceasefire in Gaza.

The resolution calls for the ceasefire to last for the rest of Ramadan, which is due to finish on April 9th.

It is the first time the council has called for a ceasefire after four previous attempts to do so were vetoed by the United States, Russia and China.

Put forward by the 10 non-permanent members of the council, the resolution is backed by Russia and China and the 22-nation Arab Group at the United Nations.

It passed with 14 countries voting in favour after the United States abstained.

That came after Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu reportedly threatened to cancel a planned visit to Washington if the US did not veto the proposal.

On Friday, Russia and China vetoed a US-sponsored resolution that would have supported "an immediate and sustained ceasefire" in the Israeli-Hamas conflict.

That resolution marked the first time the US has backed a resolution containing the word "ceasefire" during the war in Gaza, reflecting a toughening of the Biden administration's stance toward Israel.

Today's vote came as the UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres says there is a "growing consensus" that an Israeli ground invasion of the southern Gaza city of Rafah would be a "catastrophic humanitarian disaster".

With reporting from IRN …