Ismail Haniyeh's trip comes after yesterday the UN Security Council adopted a resolution calling for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza during Ramadan. 14 countries voted in favor of the resolution - the US abstained and did not veto.
Following the US decision not to veto, the Prime Minister's Office announced that Netanyahu decided not to send the Israeli delegation to the US. Netanyahu's office emphasized that "this withdrawal hurts both the war effort and the effort to free the hostages. It gives Hamas hope that international pressure will allow them to accept a ceasefire without releasing our hostages"