Israel has interrupted the entry of all humanitarian aid to Gaza and threatened Hamas with more “consequences” if the Palestinian group does not accept the now finished phase of its fragile ceasefire agreement.
The office of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Sunday that “the entry of all goods and supplies to the Gaza Strip would be interrupted”, accusing Hamas of refusing to accept a framework for the continuation of the talks offered by the special American shipment Steve Witkoff.
“Israel will not allow a cease-fire without release of our hostages,” the statement said. “If Hamas persists in its refusal, there will be additional consequences.”
Hamas accused Israel of having tried to derail the existing ceasefire agreement and said that its decision to reduce aid was “a cheap extortion, a war crime and a flagrant attack” against the ceasefire, which entered into force in January.
The first phase of the agreement ended on Saturday, but Israel has not yet progressed with the second phase of the three -phase agreement.
Netanyahu’s office said ISRAEL had accepted a Witkoff proposal to extend the first phase of the ceasefire for six weeks during Ramadan-the Sacred Muslim month that started during the weekend-and the Jewish Holidays in Passover, which ends on April 20.
Netanyahu said that Israel could resume military operations in Gaza if the negotiations are “ineffective” during this period.
While Witkoff did not make his public proposal, Netanyahu said that it would start with the delivery of half of all the lifestyle and remaining deceased. The rest of the captives would be given when an agreement is concluded on a permanent ceasefire.
Netanyahu says that Hamas currently has 59 captives: 24 living and 35 dead.
Hamas had previously rejected Israel’s “formulation” to extend the first phase of the ceasefire during Ramadan and Passover and rather called for the second phase to take place.
“The ceasefire must hold”
The Khoudary Hinding of Tel Aviv Tribune, postponing from the south of Gaza, said that the Palestinians of the coastal enclave were “very stressed” by the prospect of a return to the fighting.
“They believe that this cease-fire is very fragile,” she said. “There are Israeli jets and drones that hover in the sky, making the Palestinians feel at any time, Israeli forces can target any place through the Gaza Strip.”
Humanitarian organizations have said on several occasions that the ceasefire should continue if they wanted to provide essential assistance to the Palestinians in the coastal enclave, which was devastated by the 17-month war.
“The impact of safe and sustained humanitarian access is obvious,” said the World Food Program in an article on X on Saturday. “The ceasefire must hold. There can be no return.
Hundreds of aid trucks have entered Gaza daily since the start of the ceasefire on January 19. But the residents said that prices doubled on Sunday when closing the closure spread and people were approaching to get their supplies.
“Everyone is worried,” said Sayed al-Dairi, a man living in Gaza City, to the Associated Press. “It’s not a life.”
Fayza Nassar, a woman living in the urban refugee camp in Jabalia, which was highly destroyed, said that the closure would exacerbate already disastrous living conditions.
“There will be famine and chaos,” she told AP. “The closure of the crossings is an odious crime.”
Stephen Zunes, director of studies in the Middle East at the University of San Francisco, said that the apparent proposal of the United States promoting Israel is following a well-established model seen since the start of the war.
“It’s typical,” he told Tel Aviv Tribune. “Hamas and Israel will accept something. Then, Israel will try to revise it in its favor. Then, the United States will present a new proposal which is in favor of Israel, then the United States will blame Hamas for not having accepted this proposal. »»
Netanyahu’s refusal to go to the second phase of the ceasefire agreement was also criticized in Israel, while hundreds of Israelis demonstrated it outside the houses of several government ministers on Sunday to demand the completion of a cessation agreement in Gaza and detainees.
“Israel signed an agreement that was to start negotiations for the second phase of day 16 of the first phase. However, Israel avoided these negotiations, “Yair Golan, chief of the Democrats party, told Israeli media Maariv.
“Those who want to release the hostages must understand something simple-we have to reach a long-term ceasefire and withdraw from most Gaza. Netanyahu is constantly looking for ways to keep all Israeli citizens under extraordinary pressure and in an emergency because it meets its political needs. »»
