Israel halted all entry of humanitarian aid and goods into the Gaza Strip on Sunday and warned of “further consequences” after Hamas refused to accept its proposal to extend the first phase of the fragile ceasefire deal.
The first phase of the ceasefire expired Saturday, and negotiations for the second phase, which would have ultimately led to the end of the war, have been stalled for weeks.
“Prime Minister Netanyahu has decided that, as of this morning, all entry of goods and supplies into the Gaza Strip will cease,” the prime minister’s office said in a statement on Sunday, adding, “If Hamas continues its refusal, there will be further consequences.”
The announcement came after Netanyahu held an overnight security meeting where Israel adopted a plan by U.S. special envoy to the Middle East Steve Witkoff to extend the first phase of the six-week ceasefire through Ramadan and Passover.
Under the proposal, half of the remaining hostages, including bodies of those who have died, would be released on day one of its execution, with the rest released upon successful negotiation of a permanent ceasefire, according to Netanyahu’s office.
Hamas has refused the proposal, insisting that the ceasefire talks proceed to the second stage, which would see the release of additional hostages and prisoners, the withdrawal of Israeli forces from Gaza, and lead to a permanent end to the war.
Hamas said Israel’s decision to halt aid amounted to “blackmailing” and urged mediators U.S., Egypt, and Qatar to put pressure on Israel to implement humanitarian protocol under the ceasefire.
“[Israel’s] announcement to stop the entry of aid to the Gaza Strip is a new confirmation of its failure to abide by its pledges and its evasion of its obligations in the ceasefire agreement,” Hamas said in a statement Sunday.
It added that Israel’s decision was “a continuation of the war of extermination against our people and the blackmailing of an entire people for their livelihood, a drink of water and a pill of medicine.”
On Sunday morning, thousands of aid trucks were seen piling up at the Egyptian side of the Rafah crossing after Israel closed its checkpoints into Gaza.
Since the ceasefire agreement came into effect on Jan. 19, more than 10,000 aid trucks carrying food, medicine, and tents have arrived in Gaza, according to the United Nations’ top aid official, Tom Fletcher. The first phase also halted months of fighting and saw the exchange of 33 Israeli and five Thai hostages for nearly 2,000 Palestinian prisoners and detainees.
The Hamas-led terror attack on Oct. 7, 2023, killed about 1,200 people, and another 251 were captured, according to Israeli officials. Israel’s ensuing military offensive in Gaza has killed more than 48,000 Palestinians, according to the local Health Ministry, destroyed much of the enclave, and forcibly displaced most of its population of 2.2 million.
Israeli far-right lawmakers welcomed Netanyahu’s decision to block aid. “The decision we made last night to completely halt the entry of humanitarian aid into Gaza…is an important step in the right direction—‘the threshold of the gates of hell’,” Israeli finance minister Bezalel Smotrich posted on X on Sunday.
