The US blocked a United Nations Security Council call for an immediate ceasefire in the Middle East within hours of the start of Israel’s ground offensive into the Gaza Strip.

After an inconclusive three and a half hour session of the council on Saturday night, Alejandro Wolff, deputy US envoy, said the root cause of the crisis was continued Hamas rocket attacks on Israel. The US saw no prospect of Hamas abiding by a ceasefire demand by the UN and therefore it would not do the council any good to issue statements that would not be adhered to.