GAZA CITY, Nov 12: The Palestinians' ruling Hamas Party denounced the US on Sunday for vetoing a UN Security Council draft resolution condemning an Israeli military offensive in the Gaza Strip and demanding an Israeli troop withdrawal from the territory.''The American veto represents a political and moral aggression against our people and national cause, an ugly act of racism, and a direct encouragement of the Zionist enemy to commit more crimes and massacres,'' Hamas said in a statement.

The draft resolution was brought before the Security Council after errant Israeli shells slammed into an apartment compound in Gaza, killing 18 civilians.—AP