Israel has blocked all supplies from entering Gaza, warning Hamas that there will be "more consequences" if they don’t accept a new ceasefire deal. Hamas accused Israel of trying to ruin the current agreement, calling the aid cutoff “blackmail, a war crime, and a direct attack” on the fragile truce. However, both sides have not officially declared the ceasefire over.
The first phase of the ceasefire, which allowed more humanitarian aid into Gaza, ended on Saturday. The next phase is still being negotiated. In this phase, Hamas was supposed to release more hostages in exchange for Israel pulling back its forces and agreeing to a long-term ceasefire.
Israel Says the US Supports the New Plan An Israeli official, who did not want to be named, said the aid cutoff was coordinated with the Trump administration. The US has not yet responded to Israel’s decision.
Since the ceasefire started on January 19, hundreds of aid trucks have entered Gaza every day. It’s unclear what the immediate impact of stopping aid will be.
Israel says its new ceasefire plan, backed by US envoy Steve Witkoff, would extend the truce through Ramadan (the Muslim fasting month) and the Jewish holiday of Passover, which ends on April 20. Under this proposal, Hamas would release half the remaining hostages on the first day and the rest after agreeing to a permanent ceasefire.
Israel’s Foreign Minister Gideon Saar said Israel is open to discussing the next phase but wants more hostages freed as part of the talks. He added that Israel received a note from the Biden administration stating that there is no automatic transition between different phases of the ceasefire.
Hamas warned that any attempt to delay or cancel the ceasefire would have "serious consequences" for the hostages. The group insists that the only way to release them is by following the original deal, which does not include a specific timeline for their release.
Hamas Demands a Full Ceasefire and Prisoner Release Hamas has stated that it is ready to free all the remaining hostages in one go, but only if Israel agrees to release more Palestinian prisoners, withdraw its forces, and declare a permanent ceasefire.
An Egyptian official said neither Hamas nor Egypt would accept a new plan that does not end the war. The original agreement required both sides to start discussing the second phase in early February.
Mediators are trying to find a solution, but there has been no response from Qatar, which has been a key negotiator along with Egypt.
Ceasefire Was Already Shaky During the first phase of the ceasefire, which lasted six weeks, Hamas released 25 Israeli hostages and returned the bodies of eight others. In exchange, Israel freed nearly 2,000 Palestinian prisoners. Israeli forces also pulled back from most of Gaza, and humanitarian aid increased.
However, both sides accused each other of breaking the truce. Israeli airstrikes killed dozens of Palestinians who they claimed had entered restricted areas. Meanwhile, Hamas held public events where they displayed the hostages, which Israel and the UN criticized as cruel and humiliating.
Hamas argues that cutting off aid is another violation, as the ceasefire agreement allowed for continued aid while talks on the second phase took place.
Israel Faces Accusations Over Aid Restrictions At the start of the war, Israel completely blocked supplies from entering Gaza. Later, it eased restrictions under US pressure. However, aid groups and UN agencies have accused Israel of not allowing enough food and supplies into Gaza over the past 15 months. The Biden administration repeatedly urged Israel to do more.
Experts have warned that hunger is widespread in Gaza, with some fearing famine. The International Criminal Court accused Israel of using "starvation as a method of warfare" and issued an arrest warrant for Netanyahu last year. Similar allegations are part of South Africa’s case against Israel at the International Court of Justice, where it is accused of genocide.
Israel has denied these accusations, calling them biased. It insists it has allowed enough aid and blames distribution problems on the UN. Israel also accuses Hamas of taking supplies for its own use.
The War So Far
The war began on October 7, 2023, when Hamas-led fighters attacked southern Israel, killing about 1,200 people, mstly civilians, nd taking 251 hostages. Since then, 59 hostages remain in Gaza, but Israel believes 32 of them are already dead. Hamas has released most of the others through two previous ceasefire deals.
Israel’s military response has been devastating, with over 48,000 Palestinians killed, according to Gaza’s Health Ministry. The ministry says more than half of the victims were women and children, though it does not specify how many were fighters.
Israeli attacks have destroyed large parts of Gaza, forcing 90% of its 2.3 million residents to flee their homes. Today, most of Gaza’s population relies on international aid for survival.