The United States agreed last night to back a UN resolution calling for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza, less than a week after it blocked UN action there.

Condoleezza Rice, the US Secretary of State, signed the draft Security Council resolution after Britain brokered a deal with Arab nations in New York.

The Security Council was to vote on the resolution early today despite French concerns that the UN action would violate assurances President Sarkozy had given Israel.

The draft, which makes no mention of Hamas, “stresses the urgency of and calls for an immediate, durable and fully respected ceasefire leading to the full withdrawal of Israeli forces from Gaza”. It also welcomes the Egyptian peace initiative, but leaves the details to be worked out in further talks.

The US decision undercuts Israel’s military operations and has angered Israeli officials, but Washington was under heavy pressure, with Dr Rice in intense talks with British, French and Arab foreign ministers for three days.

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