The UN Security Council has again delayed a vote on a ceasefire and sending desperately needed aid to Gaza, as diplomats struggle to agree on wording.
The United States seeks to change the text's references to a cessation of hostilities in the Israel-Hamas war, and a part about putting the UN in charge of inspecting trucks to ensure they are actually carrying humanitarian goods, which Israel opposes.
Ambassador Lana Nusseibeh of the United Arab Emirates said very high-level discussions are taking place to try to reach agreement on a text that can be adopted.
"Everyone wants to see a resolution that has impact and that is implementable on the ground," she said on Wednesday evening, after the 15 council members held closed consultations.
"We believe today, giving a little bit of space for additional diplomacy, could yield positive results."
Ms Nusseibeh said the UAE is going to be optimistic and try to reach an agreement, but if the negotiations yield no results by Thursday, "then we will assess in the council to proceed at pace to a vote on the resolution".
The vote, initially postponed for Monday and then pushed back to Tuesday and then Wednesday, is now expected on Thursday.
The initial text called "for the urgent suspension of hostilities to allow safe and unhindered humanitarian access, and for urgent steps towards a sustainable cessation of hostilities".
It also calls for UN secretary-seneral Antonio Guterres to quickly establish a mechanism for exclusive UN monitoring of aid deliveries to Gaza, bypassing the current Israeli inspection of aid entering the territory.
US National Security Council spokesman John Kirby also raised two other issues on Wednesday that are not in the Arab-sponsored resolution - condemnation of Hamas' deadly October 7 incursion into southern Israel that sparked the latest war.
US secretary of state Antony Blinken told a Washington news conference later that the US has engaged intensively and "in very good faith" in negotiations on the resolution, "so I hope we can get to a new place".
The US on December 8 vetoed a Security Council resolution backed by almost all other council members and dozens of other nations demanding an immediate humanitarian ceasefire in Gaza.
The 193-member General Assembly overwhelmingly approved a similar resolution on December 12 by a vote of 153-10, with 23 abstentions.
In its first unified action on November 15, with the US abstaining, the Security Council adopted a resolution calling for "urgent and extended humanitarian pauses" in the fighting, unhindered aid deliveries to civilians and the unconditional release of all hostages.
The US has repeatedly called for condemnation of Hamas' October 7 attacks into southern Israel, and recognition of Israel's right to self-defence, which have not been included in any of the resolutions that have been adopted - or the latest draft before the council.
Israeli President Isaac Herzog said during a briefing with ambassadors on Tuesday that Israel is "ready for another humanitarian pause and additional humanitarian aid in order to enable the release of hostages".
Security Council resolutions are important because they are legally binding, but in practice many parties choose to ignore the council's requests for action.
General Assembly resolutions are not legally binding, though they are a significant barometer of world opinion.
