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, whereas key mediator Egypt accused Israel of utilizing “starvation as a weapon.”
Hamas accused Israel of attempting to derail the ceasefire settlement hours after its first section ended. It known as the choice to chop off support “cheap extortion, a war crime and a blatant attack” on the truce, which took maintain in January after over a yr of negotiations. Either side stopped in need of saying the ceasefire had ended.
The primary section, which included a surge in humanitarian help after months of rising starvation within the territory, 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 from Gaza and a long-lasting ceasefire. Talks ought to have begun a month in the past.
Egyptian International Minister Badr Abdelatty condemned Israel’s resolution as “a flagrant and clear violation of humanitarian law,” and known as for the fast implementation of the second section.
The Worldwide Committee of the Crimson Cross, which has facilitated the releases of hostages and Palestinian prisoners, mentioned the ceasefire has saved numerous lives, and “any unraveling of the forward momentum created over the last six weeks risks plunging people back into despair.”
Israel described the brand new proposal as a U.S. one. There was no fast remark from the USA, and it was not clear when U.S. envoy Steve Witkoff, anticipated to go to the area final week, would arrive.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu mentioned that below the prevailing agreements Israel might resume combating after the primary section if it believes negotiations are ineffective. He mentioned the ceasefire would solely proceed if Hamas retains releasing hostages, telling his Cupboard “there will be no free lunches.” He mentioned Israel was “full coordinated” with President Donald Trump’s administration.
The battle has left most of Gaza’s inhabitants of over 2 million depending on worldwide support. Tons of of support vehicles had entered Gaza every day for the reason that ceasefire started on Jan. 19, easing fears of famine raised by worldwide consultants.
However residents mentioned costs doubled as phrase of the closure unfold.
“Everyone is worried,” mentioned Sayed al-Dairi in Gaza Metropolis. “This is not a life.”
Fayza Nassar within the closely destroyed city Jabaliya refugee camp mentioned the closure would worsen already dire situations.
“There will be famine and chaos,” she mentioned.
Hamas warns of penalties for hostages
Israel mentioned the brand new proposal known as for extending the ceasefire via Ramadan — the Muslim holy month 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, Netanyahu mentioned.
Hamas warned that any try and delay or cancel the ceasefire settlement would have “humanitarian consequences” for the hostages. It reiterated that the one approach to free them is thru implementing the prevailing deal.
Hamas has mentioned it’s keen to free the hostages unexpectedly in Part 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 aimed toward returning the remaining hostages with out ending the battle. The official, who was not approved to transient media and spoke on situation of anonymity, mentioned mediators had been attempting to resolve the dispute.
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 practically 2,000 Palestinians imprisoned by Israel, together with some serving life sentences for lethal assaults and others held with out cost. Israeli forces pulled again from most of Gaza and Israel allowed a surge of humanitarian support to enter.
The primary section was marred by repeated disputes.
Israeli strikes killed dozens of Palestinians who the army mentioned had approached its forces or entered areas in violation of the truce. On Sunday, Israel carried out an airstrike on Palestinians it mentioned had been planting an explosive system in northern Gaza close to the border. Gaza’s Well being Ministry mentioned two males had been killed and that Israeli hearth killed two different folks elsewhere.
Hamas paraded most captives — a few of them emaciated — earlier than crowds in spectacles that Israel and the United Nations mentioned had been merciless and degrading. And it initially returned the improper set of stays as a substitute of these of a mom who was killed in captivity alongside along with her two younger youngsters.
Israel sought to limit public celebrations over launched Palestinian prisoners, and a few had been freed carrying shirts emblazoned with a Star of David and the phrase “Never forgive, never forget” in Arabic. Some folks threw their sweatshirts on the bottom and burned them.
Israel was accused of blocking support all through the battle
Israel imposed a siege on Gaza within the battle’s opening days and solely eased it below U.S. stress. U.N. companies and support teams accused Israel of not facilitating sufficient support throughout 15 months of battle.
The Worldwide Prison Court docket mentioned there was motive to consider Israel had used “starvation as a method of warfare” when it issued an arrest warrant for Netanyahu final yr. 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 courtroom actions as being biased. Israel says it has allowed in sufficient support and blamed shortages on what it known as the U.N.’s incapacity to distribute it. Israel accused Hamas of siphoning off support.
Kenneth Roth, the previous head of Human Rights Watch, mentioned Israel as an occupying energy has an “absolute duty” to facilitate humanitarian support below the Geneva Conventions, and known as Israel’s resolution “a resumption of the war-crime starvation strategy” that led to the ICC warrant.
The battle started when Hamas-led militants stormed into southern Israel on Oct. 7, 2023, killing some 1,200 folks, largely civilians, and taking 251 hostage. The militants at the moment maintain 59 hostages, 35 of them believed to be lifeless.
Israel’s offensive has killed over 48,000 Palestinians, in line with Gaza’s Well being Ministry. It says greater than half of these killed had been girls and youngsters. It doesn’t specify how lots of the lifeless had been combatants.
Israeli bombardment pounded massive areas of Gaza to rubble and displaced some 90% of the inhabitants.