Hamas says it “will adhere to its original position on the ceasefire” as Israel attacks Hezbollah

Israel-Hamas War

• Hamas said it had informed mediators that the terror group would stick to its original position on reaching a comprehensive ceasefire, which would include the withdrawal of Israeli troops from Gaza, the return of displaced Palestinians and a “genuine” prisoner exchange. It also calls for a so-called “genuine prisoner exchange”, which would refer to the release of Palestinian prisoners from Israeli prisons in exchange for Israeli hostages being held in Gaza.

  Hamas presented a Gaza ceasefire proposal to mediators and the United States in mid-March that included the release of Israeli hostages in exchange for the freedom of Palestinian prisoners, 100 of whom are serving life sentences.

• The United Nations Security Council on Monday adopted a resolution calling for an immediate ceasefire between Israel and Palestinian terrorist Hamas, after the United States abstained from the vote, sparking a row with its ally Israel. The remaining 14 Council members voted in favor of the resolution sponsored by the 10 elected Council members, which also called for the immediate and unconditional release of all hostages. After the vote, applause broke out in the chamber.

  Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the United States’ failure to veto the resolution was a “clear retreat” from its previous position and would harm Israel’s war effort and efforts to release the more than 130 hostages still held by Hamas.

• As Israel and the United States continue to clash, Netanyahu abruptly canceled a high-level delegation’s visit to Washington this week to discuss Israel’s threatened offensive on the southern Gaza city of Rafah. The suspension of the meeting poses a major new obstacle to U.S. efforts to push Netanyahu to consider alternatives to a ground invasion of Rafah, the Palestinian capital, amid concerns about a deepening humanitarian catastrophe in Gaza. The last relatively safe haven for civilians.