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Israel Blocks Humanitarian Aid to Gaza After Ceasefire Ends
The Israeli government has blocked all humanitarian aid from entering Gaza following the expiration of the first phase of the ceasefire with Hamas. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office announced that Hamas had refused a proposed extension of the ceasefire under U.S. envoy Steve Witkoff's plan, which led to the halt of aid deliveries.
Hamas, in response, accused Israel of "cheap blackmail" and "coup" against the ceasefire agreement, calling on mediators to pressure Israel into resuming aid supplies. The Palestinian group insists that phase two of the deal, which includes the release of hostages and Palestinian prisoners, as well as the withdrawal of Israeli forces from Gaza, must proceed as initially negotiated.
Late Friday, Hamas declared it would not agree to any extension of phase one without guarantees from U.S., Qatari, and Egyptian mediators that phase two would follow. Netanyahu’s office issued a statement declaring that, due to Hamas’s refusal, Israel would stop all goods and supplies from entering Gaza. "Israel will not allow a ceasefire without the release of our hostages," the statement read, warning of further consequences if Hamas does not comply.
Hamas spokespersons labeled Israel's move as a demonstration of the "ugly face of Israeli occupation" and urged the international community to demand Israel resume the flow of humanitarian aid.
Earlier, Netanyahu's office indicated that Israel had agreed to a U.S. proposal for a six-week ceasefire, covering the Muslim Ramadan and Jewish Passover periods. At the end of this period, if talks falter, Israel reserves the right to resume military operations. The U.S. proposal has not been publicly released but reportedly includes the release of half of the remaining hostages.
The ceasefire, which began on January 19, ended Saturday after halting 15 months of intense fighting between Hamas and Israel. During this period, 33 Israeli and five Thai hostages were freed in exchange for around 1,900 Palestinian prisoners. However, discussions on phase two, including the release of all remaining hostages and the withdrawal of Israeli forces, have made little progress.
There are believed to be 24 hostages still alive, with 39 others presumed dead. Hamas's unprecedented October 7, 2023 attack on Israel left approximately 1,200 Israelis dead and another 251 taken hostage. Israel's subsequent air and ground operations in Gaza have resulted in at least 48,365 deaths, according to Gaza's Hamas-run health ministry.