JERUSALEM — The United Nations Security Council has voted 14-0 in favor of a resolution demanding a cease-fire in Gaza for the rest of Ramadan. The United States abstained from the vote, allowing the measure to pass.

The resolution calls for the immediate, unconditional release of all hostages taken captive by Hamas during the Oct. 7 attack on Israel.

Ramadan is set to end in just over two weeks, on April 9, so if any cease-fire does manifest from the vote it may only be short-lived.

Monday's vote followed several failed attempts by the Security Council at brokering a cease-fire resolution — including one as recently as three days ago.

The U.S. had supported calls for a cease-fire only if they were connected to the release of hostages under a deal being negotiated by Egypt and Qatar. The U.S. says the Security Council should pressure Hamas to accept a deal on the table.

Leading up to the vote, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had warned members of an Israeli delegation who were due to travel to the U.S. that he would cancel their trip to Washington, D.C., if the U.S. did not outright veto the resolution.

Immediately after the resolution went through the Prime Ministers office released a statement announcing the trip, led by Strategic Affairs Minister Ron Dermer and National Security Advisor Tzachi Hanegbi, was cancelled.

"Prime Minister Netanyahu made it clear last night that if the US withdraws from its principled position, he will not send the Israeli delegation to the US. In light of the change in the American position, Prime Minister Netanyahu decided that the delegation would not go," the statement said.

The high-level delegation was scheduled to travel to Washington on Monday to talk through a planned Israeli military operation in Rafah, in the south of Gaza, where more than a million Palestinians have taken refuge from the war.

The planned visit of the Israeli Defense Minister, Yoav Gallant, continues. Gallant is in Washington on Monday and due to meet with Secretary of State Antony Blinken, Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin and National Security Adivser Jake Sullivan.
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