Israel Blocks All Humanitarian Aid to Gaza
The Israeli government has announced that it has halted all humanitarian aid to Gaza because the initial phase of the ceasefire with Hamas has come to an end.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office stated that Hamas has thus far declined to agree to a short-term extension of the ceasefire based on a proposal from US President Donald Trump’s envoy, Steve Witkoff.
A representative from Hamas described Israel’s decision as “cheap blackmail” and a “betrayal” of the ceasefire agreement, calling on mediators to pressure Israel to resume aid deliveries.
The Palestinian group insists that phase two of the agreement should proceed as initially planned, which includes the release of hostages and Palestinian prisoners as well as the withdrawal of Israeli troops from Gaza.
On Friday, Hamas declared it would not consent to any extension of phase one unless it received assurances from US, Qatari, and Egyptian mediators that phase two would ultimately be implemented.
However, Netanyahu’s office revealed that Israel had accepted a US proposal for the ceasefire to last approximately six weeks during the Muslim Ramadan and Jewish Passover celebrations.
Should negotiations hit an impasse by the end of this period, Israel would retain the option to resume bombardments.
The American envoy, Steve Witkoff, has not disclosed the details of his proposal. According to Israel, it would commence with the release of half of all remaining living and deceased hostages.
Netanyahu’s office indicated that Israel would promptly initiate talks if Hamas altered its stance regarding the six-week ceasefire extension.
Israel killed at least 14,810 Palestinians and injured thousand others in Gaza since the start of a ceasefire agreement on January 19. The Government Media Office updated its death toll to at least 61,709, saying thousands of Palestinians missing under the rubble are presumed dead.
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