Israel cancels meeting with US

Israel has cancelled a meeting in Washington after the US refused to veto a UN Security Council resolution calling for a ceasefire in Gaza, reports BBC.

The resolution, which also called for the release of all hostages, followed several failed attempts at similar measures since the 7 October attacks.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu accused the US of having “abandoned” its previous policy.

The spat comes amid calls for urgent action to avert a famine in Gaza.

Since the start of the conflict, the US has used its veto power to block three Security Council resolutions calling for pauses in the fighting or a ceasefire. Another two have been vetoed by both Russia and China.

On Monday, the US abstained on a resolution that called for an “immediate” ceasefire for the rest of the month of Ramadan - two weeks - and the “immediate and unconditional release of all hostages”.

The 14 other members of the council, including the UK, voted in favour, meaning the resolution passed.

Following the vote, Mr Netanyahu objected that the resolution did not make the call for a ceasefire conditional on the release of the hostages, as the US and Israel had both argued it should.

Israel believes Hamas and its allies are still holding about 130 hostages in Gaza, including 33 presumed dead.

“Today’s resolution gives Hamas hope that international pressure will force Israel to accept a ceasefire without the release of our hostages, thus harming both the war effort and the effort to release the hostages,” Mr Netanyahu's office said in a statement.

It added that, “in light of the change in the US position”, a planned visit by an Israeli delegation to the US this week would not go ahead.

Israeli and US officials had been due to meet to discuss Israel’s planned offensive in the southern Gaza city of Rafah, where some 1.5 million Palestinians have sought shelter, having fled the fighting elsewhere in Gaza.