JERUSALEM, March 25 — Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu today said he would not send a delegation as planned to Washington after the United States did not veto a UN Security Council proposal calling for a ceasefire in Gaza.

Netanyahu, according to a statement from his office, said that Washington’s failure to veto the proposal was a "clear retreat” from its previous position, and would hurt war efforts against Hamas in Gaza as well as efforts to release over 130 hostages.

"In light of the change in the American position, Prime Minister Netanyahu decided the delegation would not leave,” his office said.

The high-level delegation was due to travel to Washington to discuss a planned Israeli military operation in the southern Gaza city of Rafah. — Reuters