02
Mar
Mar
ISRAEL BLOCKS HUMANITARIAN AID TO GAZA OVER CEASEFIRE DISPUTE
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CapitalTimesNews / 7 days
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- 2 min read
Israel has blocked the entry of all humanitarian aid into Gaza, citing Hamas’s refusal to agree to a US-proposed ceasefire extension. The first phase of the ceasefire, which expired on Saturday, had allowed for the release of 33 Israeli and five Thai hostages in exchange for approximately 1,900 Palestinian prisoners and detainees. According to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office, Hamas has refused to accept a temporary extension of the ceasefire under a proposal by US envoy Steve Witkoff. Netanyahu’s office stated, “With the end of Phase 1 of the hostage deal, and in light of Hamas’s refusal to accept the Witkoff outline for continuing talks… Prime Minister Netanyahu has decided that, as of this morning, all entry of goods and supplies into the Gaza Strip will cease.” A Hamas spokesman condemned Israel’s decision, calling it “cheap blackmail” and a “coup” on the ceasefire agreement. The spokesman urged mediators to intervene, stating, “Netanyahu’s decision to stop aid going into Gaza once again shows the ugly face of the Israeli occupation… The international community must apply pressure on the Israeli government to stop starving our people.” The US-proposed ceasefire extension would last approximately six weeks, coinciding with the Muslim Ramadan and Jewish Passover periods. If negotiations reach a dead end, Israel reserves the right to resume hostilities. US envoy Witkoff’s proposal includes the release of half of the remaining living and dead hostages. Aid agencies have confirmed that no aid trucks were allowed into Gaza on Sunday morning. Antoine Renard from the World Food Programme (WFP) emphasized, “Humanitarian assistance has to continue to flow into Gaza. It’s very essential. And we are calling all parties to make sure that they reach a solution.” The Israeli military reported that four people were killed in strikes on Gaza on Sunday, claiming they were planting an explosive device. The first phase of the ceasefire, which began on January 19, halted 15 months of fighting between Hamas and the Israeli military. Negotiations on phase two, including the release of remaining hostages and the withdrawal of Israeli troops from Gaza, have yet to progress.