The resolution will allow a "safe and unhindered delivery of humanitarian assistance at scale." It also called for the creation of "conditions for a sustainable cessation of hostilities." 

Russia and the United States abstained and the resolution was passed with 13 votes in favor.

Members of the 15-member Security Council had been grappling for days to find common ground on the resolution.

Israel, backed by its ally the United States, has opposed the term "cease-fire," and Washington had used its veto twice to thwart resolutions backed by a majority of other members.

US Ambassador Linda Thomas-Greenfield called the resolution "a strong step forward."

"This council provided a glimmer of hope among a sea of suffering," she said.

The Russian ambassador to the UN, Vasily Nebenzya, complained that the US pressured delegates to develop a resolution that satisfied it regarding Gaza.

According to Nebenzya, the text of the draft resolution has been emptied of its essence due to pressure from the United States.

"They have resorted to their favorite tactic... of twisting of arms", calling the text "toothless," he said.

The United Arab Emirates sponsored the resolution. The UAE's ambassador to the UN Lana Zaki Nusseibeh said "it responds with action to the dire humanitarian situation."

"We know this is not a perfect text... We will never tire of calling for a humanitarian cease-fire," she said.

Following the vote, United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said that Israel's offensive was the "real problem... creating massive obstacles" to humanitarian shipments.

"The real problem is that the way Israel is conducting this offensive is creating massive obstacles to the distribution of humanitarian aid inside Gaza," he said. "A humanitarian ceasefire is the only way to begin to meet the desperate needs of people in Gaza and end their ongoing nightmare," he added.

The resolution demands all sides "allow and facilitate the use of all... routes to and throughout the entire Gaza Strip, including border crossings... for the provision of humanitarian assistance."

It also requests the appointment of a UN humanitarian coordinator to oversee and verify third-country aid to Gaza.

An earlier text had said that the aid mechanism to accelerate the delivery of relief would be "exclusively" under UN control. 

It now states it would be managed in consultation with "all relevant parties" -- meaning Israel would retain operational oversight of aid deliveries.

Israel on Thursday bombed the newly reopened Karm Abu Salem aid crossing killing four people, including the crossing director, Bassam Abu Ghaben. 

The tussle over the resolution came as the UN's hunger monitoring system warned "every single person in war-torn Gaza is expected to face high levels of acute food insecurity in the next six weeks."