In lieu of the media storm surrounding the US's refusal to veto a UN Security Council resolution against Israel, Mike Pompeo, who served as US Secretary of State under Donald Trump, blasted the Biden administration for its decision.
Pompeo wrote on his Twitter account: "You are either on the side of Hamas or the side of Israel. And Hamas was thrilled to see the Biden Administration refuse to stand up for Israel.
As recalled, following the refusal of the US to stand by Israel, Prime Minister Netanyahu ordered the Israeli delegation that was supposed to arrive in the US for discussions on a potential ceasefire and the possibility of an Israeli operation in the southern Gaza city of Rafah to cancel the visit.
White House spokesman John Kirby explained the decision and said: "Our vote in the Security Council does not reflect a change in our policy. We are consistent in our support for a cease-fire and the release of hostages. The wording that was proposed does not include condemnation of Hamas, which is essential in our opinion, so we did not support it. But the decision reflects our opinion that a cease-fire and the release of hostages go hand in hand, so we refrained."