TEL AVIV, Israel (AP) — Israel stopped the entry of all items and provides into the Gaza Strip on Sunday and warned of “additional consequences” if Hamas doesn’t settle for a brand new proposal to increase a fragile ceasefire.
Hamas accused Israel of attempting to derail the present ceasefire settlement and mentioned its determination to chop off help was “cheap extortion, a war crime and a blatant attack” on the truce, which took maintain in January after greater than a 12 months of negotiations. Each side stopped in need of saying the ceasefire had ended.
The primary section of the ceasefire, which included a surge in humanitarian help, expired on Saturday. The 2 sides have but to barter the second section, wherein Hamas was to launch dozens of remaining hostages in return for an Israeli pullout and an enduring ceasefire.
An Israeli official, talking on situation of anonymity consistent with laws, mentioned the choice to droop help was made in coordination with the Trump administration. There was no speedy remark from the US on the proposal introduced by Israel or its determination to chop off help.
Lots of of help vehicles have entered Gaza every day for the reason that ceasefire started on Jan. 19, and it was unclear what the speedy influence of the help cutoff could be.
Israel says the brand new proposal is backed by the US
Israel mentioned the brand new proposal, which it mentioned got here from U.S. Mideast envoy Steve Witkoff, known as for extending the ceasefire by Ramadan — the Muslim holy month of dawn-to-dusk fasting that started over the weekend — and the Jewish Passover vacation, which ends on April 20.
Underneath that proposal, Hamas would launch half the hostages on the primary day and the remaining when an settlement is reached on a everlasting ceasefire, in response to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s workplace.
International Minister Gideon Saar mentioned Israel was ready to barter over the following section of the ceasefire however was insisting on extra hostages being freed in the course of the talks. He mentioned Israel had acquired a facet letter from the Biden administration saying there was no computerized transition between the phases of the truce.
“We fulfilled all our commitments (under Phase 1) until the very last day, which was yesterday,” he advised a press convention. “Our position is that during negotiations, hostages should be released.”
Hamas warned that any try to delay or cancel the ceasefire settlement would have “humanitarian consequences” for the hostages and reiterated that the one technique to free them was by implementing the present deal, which didn’t specify a timeline for liberating the remaining captives.
Hamas has mentioned it’s prepared to free the remaining hostages suddenly in Section 2, however solely in return for the discharge of extra Palestinian prisoners, a everlasting ceasefire and the withdrawal of Israeli forces.
An Egyptian official mentioned Hamas and Egypt wouldn’t settle for a brand new proposal geared toward returning the remaining hostages with out ending the warfare. The official famous that the settlement had known as on the 2 sides to start negotiations over Section 2 in early February.
The official, who was not approved to temporary media and spoke on situation of anonymity, mentioned mediators have been attempting to resolve the dispute. There was no speedy remark from Qatar, which together with Egypt has served as a key mediator with Hamas.
Ceasefire has been marred by disputes
Underneath the primary, six-week section of the ceasefire, Hamas launched 25 Israeli hostages and the our bodies of eight others in trade for the discharge of almost 2,000 Palestinians imprisoned by Israel. Israeli forces pulled again from most of Gaza and Israel allowed a surge of humanitarian help to enter.
However the first section was marred by repeated disputes, with either side accusing the opposite of violations.
Israeli strikes killed dozens of Palestinians who the army mentioned had approached its forces or entered areas in violation of the truce. Hamas paraded the captives — a few of whom have been emaciated — earlier than crowds in public spectacles that Israel and the United Nations mentioned have been merciless and degrading.
Hamas mentioned Israel’s help suspension was one other violation, saying the ceasefire and help deliveries have been presupposed to proceed as the edges negotiated the second section of the deal.
Israel was accused of blocking help all through the warfare
Israel imposed an entire siege on Gaza within the opening days of the warfare and solely eased it later underneath U.S. strain.
U.N. companies and help teams accused Israel of not facilitating sufficient help throughout 15 months of warfare, and the Biden administration repeatedly pressed it to do extra. Consultants warned on a number of events that starvation was widespread in Gaza and that there was a danger of famine.
The Worldwide Felony Court docket mentioned there was purpose to imagine Israel had used “starvation as a method of warfare” when it issued an arrest warrant for Netanyahu final 12 months. The allegation can also be central to South Africa’s case on the Worldwide Court docket of Justice accusing Israel of genocide.
Israel has denied the accusations and rejected each court docket actions as being biased towards it. Israel says it has allowed sufficient help to enter and blamed shortages on what it mentioned was the U.N.’s incapability to distribute it. It additionally accused Hamas of siphoning off help.
The warfare started when Hamas-led militants stormed into southern Israel on Oct. 7, 2023, killing some 1,200 folks, principally civilians, and taking 251 hostage. The militants are at present holding 59 hostages, 32 of whom are believed to be useless, after releasing many of the relaxation in two ceasefire agreements.
Israel’s offensive has killed over 48,000 Palestinians, in response to Gaza’s Health Ministry. It says greater than half of these killed have been girls and kids however doesn’t specify how most of the useless have been combatants.
Israeli bombardment and floor operations pounded massive areas of the strip to rubble and on the peak of the battle displaced some 90% of the inhabitants of two.3 million Palestinians. The warfare has left most of Gaza’s inhabitants depending on worldwide help for meals and different necessities.
Magdy reported from Cairo.
Observe AP’s warfare protection at https://apnews.com/hub/israel-hamas-war
