White House National Security Council spokesman John Kirby said on Monday that Washington did not vote on a ceasefire resolution in Gaza because it did not condemn Hamas.

This came in statements made by Kirby to journalists and reported by American and international media, including USA Today, in the first official American comment after the Security Council adopted a resolution for an immediate ceasefire in the Strip.

Kirby stressed that "the United States' abstention from voting on a draft resolution in the UN Security Council demanding a ceasefire in Gaza does not represent a shift in our policy."

He added, "The United States supports the ceasefire, but abstained from voting because the resolution did not condemn Hamas."

Earlier Monday, 14 countries voted in favor of the resolution adopted by the Security Council for a ceasefire in Gaza during the month of Ramadan, and the United States abstained from voting.

Commenting on Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s announcement of canceling the visit that was scheduled for a negotiating team from Tel Aviv to Washington, Kirby said: “It is disappointing. We are very disappointed that they will not come to Washington so that we can discuss alternatives to the incursion into Rafah.”

But he pointed out that regardless of the UN resolution, American officials are scheduled to hold separate talks with Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant, who is currently in Washington, on issues including hostages, humanitarian aid, and the protection of civilians in the city of Rafah in southern Gaza.

Repeatedly, the United States has used its “veto” power to prevent the issuance of Security Council resolutions calling for a ceasefire, and it recently attempted to pass a resolution that did not include a direct call for a ceasefire, which Russia and China aborted with a “veto.”