The United States responded with caution after France urged the United Nations Security Council to adopt a resolution calling for a truce between Israel and Hamas.

On Monday, the Security Council met behind closed doors for an emergency session following the resumption of Israel's military operation in the Gaza Strip.

French UN Ambassador Nicolas de Riviere told reporters before the session that the Security Council should adopt a resolution calling for a longer-term truce.

The ambassador said, "We need more than humanitarian pauses, we need a truce leading to a ceasefire."

Details regarding the council's discussions have not been disclosed.

But after the meeting, US alternate representative in the United Nations Robert Wood said he does not believe the Security Council can produce useful results at this point.

Wood said, "We need to focus, let the diplomacy on the ground go forward. Because we have seen some results."

The UN Security Council adopted a resolution in mid-November. It called for "urgent and extended humanitarian pauses" in the fighting in Gaza.

France supported for the resolution, but the United States abstained.