Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu expressed his appreciation for the United States for using its veto power against a draft resolution in the Security Council for an immediate humanitarian ceasefire in the Gaza Strip, criticizing at the same time the countries that voted in favor of the resolution.

“I very much appreciate the correct position taken by the United States in the United Nations Security Council,” Netanyahu said in a televised speech.

He added: "Other countries must also understand that it is impossible for them, on the one hand, to support the elimination of Hamas, and on the other hand to call for an end to the war, which prevents the elimination of Hamas."

He concluded by saying: “Therefore, Israel will continue its just war to eliminate Hamas, and achieve the rest of the goals that we set for the war,” he said.

On more than one occasion, Netanyahu said that the goal of the war was “to eliminate Hamas, return the kidnapped ones, and ensure that Gaza does not pose a threat (to Israel) in the future.”

Yesterday, Friday, the United States used its veto in the UN Security Council against a draft resolution calling for an “immediate ceasefire for humanitarian reasons” in the Gaza Strip.

Thirteen of the Council's 15 members supported the project, with the United Kingdom abstaining from voting.

The draft resolution called for an immediate ceasefire on humanitarian grounds, and reiterated its call on all parties to comply with their obligations under international law, including international humanitarian law, especially with regard to the protection of civilians.

Arab and Islamic countries criticized the United States for using its veto in the Security Council against the draft resolution.

This is the second time that Washington has used its veto in this regard, as it used it for the first time last November, against a draft Security Council resolution submitted by Brazil, calling for a humanitarian truce in the Gaza Strip.