Israel Says It Is Blocking All Aid, Supplies From Entering Gaza | rssama.com

TEL AVIV, Israel (AP) — Israel stopped nan introduction of each equipment and supplies into nan Gaza Strip connected Sunday and warned of “additional consequences” if Hamas doesn’t judge a caller connection to widen a fragile ceasefire.

Hamas accused Israel of trying to derail nan existing ceasefire statement and said its determination to trim disconnected assistance was “cheap extortion, a warfare crime and a blatant attack” connected nan truce, which took clasp successful January aft much than a twelvemonth of negotiations. Both sides stopped short of saying nan ceasefire had ended.

The first shape of nan ceasefire, which included a surge successful humanitarian assistance, expired connected Saturday. The 2 sides person yet to discuss nan 2nd phase, successful which Hamas was to merchandise dozens of remaining hostages successful return for an Israeli pullout and a lasting ceasefire.

An Israeli official, speaking connected information of anonymity successful statement pinch regulations, said nan determination to suspend assistance was made successful coordination pinch nan Trump administration. There was nary contiguous remark from nan United States connected nan connection announced by Israel aliases its determination to trim disconnected aid.

Hundreds of assistance trucks person entered Gaza regular since nan ceasefire began connected Jan. 19, and it was unclear what nan contiguous effect of nan assistance cutoff would be.

Israel says nan caller connection is backed by nan US

Israel said nan caller proposal, which it said came from U.S. Mideast envoy Steve Witkoff, called for extending nan ceasefire done Ramadan — the Muslim beatified period of dawn-to-dusk fasting that began complete nan play — and nan Jewish Passover holiday, which ends connected April 20.

Under that proposal, Hamas would merchandise half nan hostages connected nan first time and nan remainder erstwhile an statement is reached connected a imperishable ceasefire, according to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office.

Foreign Minister Gideon Saar said Israel was prepared to discuss complete nan adjacent shape of nan ceasefire but was insisting connected much hostages being freed during nan talks. He said Israel had received a broadside missive from nan Biden management saying location was nary automatic modulation betwixt nan phases of nan truce.

“We fulfilled each our commitments (under Phase 1) until nan very past day, which was yesterday,” he told a property conference. “Our position is that during negotiations, hostages should beryllium released.”

Hamas warned that immoderate effort to hold aliases cancel nan ceasefire statement would person “humanitarian consequences” for nan hostages and reiterated that nan only measurement to free them was done implementing nan existing deal, which did not specify a timeline for freeing nan remaining captives.

Hamas has said it is consenting to free nan remaining hostages each astatine erstwhile successful Phase 2, but only successful return for nan merchandise of much Palestinian prisoners, a imperishable ceasefire and nan withdrawal of Israeli forces.

A sprawling shelter campy for displaced Palestinians sits adjacent to destroyed homes and buildings successful Gaza City, Gaza Strip, Saturday, March 1, 2025 during nan Muslim beatified period of Ramadan. (AP Photo/Abdel Kareem Hana)

via Associated Press

Palestinians beryllium astatine a ample array surrounded by nan rubble of destroyed homes and buildings arsenic they stitchery for iftar, nan fast-breaking meal, connected nan first time of Ramadan successful Rafah, confederate Gaza Strip, Saturday, March 1, 2025 (AP Photo/Abdel Kareem Hana)

via Associated Press

An Egyptian charismatic said Hamas and Egypt would not judge a caller connection aimed astatine returning nan remaining hostages without ending nan war. The charismatic noted that nan statement had called connected nan 2 sides to statesman negotiations complete Phase 2 successful early February.

The official, who was not authorized to little media and said connected information of anonymity, said mediators were trying to resoluteness nan dispute. There was nary contiguous remark from Qatar, which on pinch Egypt has served arsenic a cardinal mediator pinch Hamas.

Ceasefire has been marred by disputes

But nan first shape was marred by repeated disputes, pinch each broadside accusing nan different of violations.

Israeli strikes killed dozens of Palestinians who nan subject said had approached its forces aliases entered areas successful usurpation of nan truce. Hamas paraded nan captives — some of whom were emaciated — earlier crowds successful nationalist spectacles that Israel and nan United Nations said were sadistic and degrading.

Hamas said Israel’s assistance suspension was different violation, saying nan ceasefire and assistance deliveries were expected to proceed arsenic nan sides negotiated nan 2nd shape of nan deal.

Israel was accused of blocking assistance passim nan war

Israel imposed a complete siege connected Gaza successful nan opening days of nan warfare and only eased it later nether U.S. pressure.

U.N. agencies and assistance groups accused Israel of not facilitating capable aid during 15 months of war, and nan Biden management many times pressed it to do more. Experts warned connected respective occasions that hunger was wide successful Gaza and that location was a consequence of famine.

The International Criminal Court said location was logic to judge Israel had utilized “starvation arsenic a method of warfare” erstwhile it issued an apprehension warrant for Netanyahu past year. The allegation is besides cardinal to South Africa’s lawsuit astatine nan International Court of Justice accusing Israel of genocide.

Israel has denied nan accusations and rejected some tribunal actions arsenic being biased against it. Israel says it has allowed capable assistance to participate and blamed shortages connected what it said was nan U.N.’s inability to administer it. It besides accused Hamas of siphoning disconnected aid.

The warfare began erstwhile Hamas-led militants stormed into confederate Israel connected Oct. 7, 2023, sidesplitting immoderate 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and taking 251 hostage. The militants are presently holding 59 hostages, 32 of whom are believed to beryllium dead, aft releasing astir of nan remainder successful 2 ceasefire agreements.

Israel’s violative has killed complete 48,000 Palestinians, according to Gaza’s Health Ministry. It says much than half of those killed were women and children but does not specify really galore of nan dormant were combatants.

Israeli bombardment and crushed operations pounded ample areas of nan portion to rubble and astatine nan tallness of nan conflict displaced immoderate 90% of nan organization of 2.3 cardinal Palestinians. The warfare has near astir of Gaza’s organization limited connected world assistance for nutrient and different essentials.

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Magdy reported from Cairo.

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