Israel warned of “further consequences” after it stopped entering all goods and supplies into the Gaza Strip on Sunday, aimed at Hamas pressure to accept a new proposal to extend it the fragile ceasefire.
“Israel will not allow to stop the fire without the release of our hostages,” said the Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu office. “If Hamas continues the refusal, there will be the following consequences.”
Hamas accused Israel of trying to disrupt the existing ceasefire agreement and stated that his decision to disable the assistance was “cheap extortion, military crime and brazen attack” on the truce. Both sides stopped, saying the ceasefire was over.
Egypt, who served as a key mediator with a militia group, condemned the Israeli's decision to stop assistance by accusing him of using “hunger as a weapon”.
Egyptian Foreign Minister Badry Abdelati called for the immediate implementation of the next stage of Israel-Homas ceasefire.
Hundreds of trucks have entered the gas daily since time ceasefire began on January 19And it was unclear what would be the direct impact of help cutting off.
Mohammed Arafat / AP
The first stage of ceasefire, which included a surge of humanitarian aid for people in Gaza, ended on Saturday. Both sides still need to agree on the second stage during which Hamas had to release dozens The rest of Israeli hostages In return for Israeli output and a durable ceasefire.
Netanyahu said that in accordance with the existing agreements Israel could restore the fight after the first stage, if he believes that the negotiations were ineffective. He said the ceasefire would continue only if Hamas continues to release the hostages, telling his office that “there will be no free lunch”. He said Israel was “completely coordinated” with the Presidential Administration.
There was no immediate comment from the US on the proposal announced by Israel or his decision to disable assistance.
At the same time, Israeli military aircraft have strengthened its activity over gas, conducting airstrikes on the areas of Khan Unis and Beit Hanun, causing the CBS News to report to Gaza. The reports state that these attacks have killed at least two people, and the injured others, including women and children.
Border crossings in gas remain closed, enhancing the humanitarian crisis in the gas strip.
Earlier on Sunday Israel said the new proposal spoken Came from American Middle East Steve WitcoHe urged to extend the ceasefire through Ramadan – the Muslim Holy Moon, which began last weekend – and the holiday of the Jewish Easter, which ends on April 20.
Abdel Karim Khan / AP
According to this proposal, Hamas will release half hostages on the first day, and the rest, when the agreement on the permanent ceasefire is reached, the Netanyahu office reports.
Foreign Minister Gideon Saar said Israel was ready to negotiate the next stage, but insisted on making more hostages during the talks. He said Israel received a side letter from Biden administration, saying there was no automatic transition between the armistice phases.
“We have fulfilled all our obligations (in accordance with the stage 1) until the last day, which was yesterday,” he said at a press conference. “Our position is that hostages must be released during the talks.”
Hamas warned that any attempt to detain or abolish the ceasefire agreement would be “humanitarian consequences” for hostages and once again emphasized that the only way to release them is the implementation of an existing transaction that did not determine the timing for the release of the rest.
Hamas said he was ready to release the hostages at the 2nd phase at once, but only in return for the exit of more Palestinian prisoners, the permanent ceasefire and the abolition of Israeli forces.
The Egyptian official stated that Hamas and Egypt would not accept a new proposal aimed at returning the rest of the hostages without ending the war. The official noted that the agreement called on both sides to start negotiations at the 2nd stage in early February.
An official who had no right media and appeared under anonymity, said the mediators tried to resolve the dispute.
Leo Correa / AP
Within the first six -week phase of Hamas ceasefire, 25 Israeli hostages and the bodies of eight others in exchange for the release of nearly 2,000 Palestinians who planted Israel. Israeli troops were distracted from most of the gas and Israeli allowed humanitarian aid.
Israel imposed a complete siege of Gaza during the opening of the war and only reduced it under pressure in the United States.
The war began when on October 7, 2023, terrorists under the leadership of Hamas were bursting into Southern Israel, killed about 1,200 people, mostly civilians and taking away 251 hostages. Currently, militants are conducting 59 hostages, 32 of whom are thought to have died, after the release of most of the other in the two ceasefire agreements.
According to the Ministry of Health Gaza, more than 48,000 Palestinians were killed by Israel. It states that more than half of the dead were women and children, but they do not specify how many of the dead were the participants of the fighting.
Israeli bombing and terrestrial operations banged large areas to rubble, and in the midst of the conflict, about 90% of the 2.3 million Palestinians. The war has left the majority of the gas population depending on international nutrition and other essentials.