Dozens of rabbis protest at UN to demand Israel end its war on Gaza

About three dozen rabbis and rabbinical students from US organisations have protested at the United Nations, urging a ceasefire in besieged Gaza and asking US President Joe Biden's administration to allow such resolutions to pass instead of vetoing them in the Security Council.

Tuesday's protests were organised by US Jewish groups, including Jewish Voice for Peace, Jews for Racial and Economic Justice, and Rabbis for Ceasefire.

Social media posts by the groups said 36 rabbis were at the demonstration inside the UN Security Council Chamber.

The Huffington Post reported that the rabbis gained access to the building as part of a guided tour.

There, they recited prayers and chanted their support for the ceasefire.

The UN has demanded an immediate humanitarian ceasefire in besieged Gaza amid the huge death toll caused by Israeli strikes and land invasion.

'Stop vetoing peace'

Washington has vetoed resolutions for such calls in the Security Council, claiming it would let Palestinian resistance group Hamas, which governs Gaza, regroup and rebuild.

More than three-quarters of the 193-member UN General Assembly backed a move to demand an immediate humanitarian ceasefire last month.

Tuesday's protesters at the United Nations carried banners that read "Biden: the world says ceasefire" and "Biden: Stop vetoing peace."

Ceasefire protests have been seen recently in many parts of the US, ranging from near airports and bridges in New York City and Los Angeles to vigils outside the White House and marches in Washington near the US Capitol.

On Monday, demonstrators demanding a ceasefire in the blockaded enclave interrupted a speech by Biden at a church in South Carolina.

The president said he had urged Israel to reduce its attacks and "significantly get out of Gaza."

Jewish groups in the US have been divided over Israel's brutal response to surprise blitz by Hamas. The Gaza-based Palestinian resistance group launched Operation Al Aqsa Flood against Israel on October 7. It says the surprise attack was in response to the storming of Al Aqsa Mosque in occupied East Jerusalem and growing settler violence against Palestinians backed by far-right Israeli government.

Anti-Defamation League CEO Jonathan Greenblatt has labelled Jewish groups demanding a ceasefire in besieged Gaza, such as Jewish Voice for Peace, as "hate groups" that do not represent the Jewish community.

Israel has killed at least 23,210 Palestinians, mostly women and children, and wounded 59,167, in its brutal war on Gaza, according to local health authorities.

About 85 percent of the Palestinians have been uprooted by Israeli shelling and strikes, while all of them are food insecure, according to the UN.