Israel At War Shushan Purim Monday March 25

Israel at war  day 171

- The UN Security Council passes a resolution demanding an immediate ceasefire between Israel and Hamas in the Gaza Strip and the immediate and unconditional release of all hostages, after the United States withholds its veto and abstains from the vote. Netanyahu cancels trip of advidors to Washington after the US failed to veto the resolution

- The mekubal Rav Dov Kook was asked by a   Anerican rosh yeshivah about a talmid chochom  who is well versed in the Torah of the Vilna Gaon, that war with Hezbollah will break out in the  north on the 20 or 21st day of Adar Beis. He responded that there is a good gezeira they should  cry today when reading the pasuk at the end of the  megilla of ותוסף אסתר. 

- Israel agreed to a US ceasefire proposal that calls for the release of between 700-800 Palestinian prisoners in exchange for 40 hostages,  Prisoners to be released include hundreds of terrorists who are currently serving life sentences for murdering Israelis in terror attacks. Hamas is demanding the end of the war in the second phase of the deal. 

- Rockets fired at Ashdod for first time in over two months; Hamas claims responsibility. They were fired from central Gaza. No injuries or damage reported 

Another soldier killed in Gaza bringing death toll to 252.

-  Giyus Update Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu appeared to backtrack on parts of his proposed  giyus law on Monday following widespread public criticism, including from within his own coalition. The government decided to remove from the measure — which is expected to be brought to the cabinet on Tuesday — a clause raising the exemption age for yeshiva students to 35 as a result of the warning from Attorney General Gali Baharav-Miara that she would be unable to defend the proposed bill, and Finance Ministry figures showing the economy taking a hit of over NIS 100 billion ($27.5 billion) over the next decade if the army extended the time recruits must serve rather than draft Haredim into the military

- Giyus update: Netanyahu announced to his party, the Likud, that he would not renege on passing the ultra-Orthodox draft bill and that without the bill, the government would not remain in place. Netanyahu’s announcement came in the wake of minister-without-portfolio and National Unity chair Benny Gantz’s warning that he would leave the war cabinet should the bill be passed and reports of several Likud ministers' opposition to the bill, should it pass, would extend the exemption from IDF conscription for haredi (ultra-Orthodox) Jews.

- Benny Gantz threatens to bolt coalition over Netanyahu’s Charedi draft bill

‘The people won’t be able to put up with it,’ the plan is to raise age of exemption from service for ultra-Orthodox, as IDF faces manpower shortage amid war.