Israel announced on Sunday that he immediately stopped the entry of all the goods and humanitarian aid in Gaza, trying to Hamas with a strong weapon in accepting a temporary extension From a forced fire in the enclave-pose that interferes with the existing, agreed framework for negotiating the constant end of the war and puts on the fate of the hostage on an unprotected territory.
Draconian stopping of goods and assistance, including fuel, is also likely to worse the conditions for approximately two million Gaza inhabitants, after leaving a large part of the coastal enclave in the ruins after the 15-month war.
The initial, six -week phase of the original agreement between Israel and Hamas expired on Saturday. Although he was pierced by failure and mutual accusations of violation, he ultimately saw at least a temporary stop in the fight and the exchange of 25 living areas of Israeli hostages and the remains of eight dead for about 1,500 Palestinian prisoners and detained. This job also enabled a significant increase in gauze assistance.
The next phase of the agreement demanded the complete withdrawal of Israeli troops from Gaza and the dedication to the permanent interruption of fire in exchange for the release of all the remaining living hostages in Gaza.
Instead, a few hours before the announcement of help stopping, Israel suggested a seven -week extension of temporary fire, during which Hamas must release half of the remaining life hostages, as well as the remains of half of the deceased. After the conclusion of that extension, if an agreement on a permanent interruption is reached, then all the remaining hostages should let go, said Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahua’s office.
“Israel will not allow the cessation of fire without letting our hostages,” said Mr Netanyahu’s office in a statement on Sunday.
“If Hamas continues his refusal, there will be further consequences,” he added.
Hamas immediately rejected Israeli Gambit, issuing a statement on Sunday, describing stopping in aid as a “cheap blackmail, war crime and an apparent entry of an agreement.”
Israel attributed a new proposal to the work of the US envoy to the region, Steve Witkoff. The existing agreement was negotiating between Israel and Hamas through a third country mediator, including the United States, Qatar and Egypt.
Last year, the United Nations and Organizations for help repeatedly warned Supervised hunger In Gaza in the midst of widespread famine during the war, which caused an attack on Israel, October 7, under the guidance of Hamas. Although goods are now more accessible, many Gazans say they can’t afford to buy them, and many depend on humanitarian aid.
Palestinians in Gaza have already been Struggling to celebrate the holy month of Ramadanwho started this weekend and is usually a joyful time in the Muslim calendar.
Two Israeli officials, speaking of the state of anonymity, discussing internal discussions, said that the Government believed that with the help and goods that had entered the enclave in recent months, and during temporary, there were enough supplies in Gaza to be sufficient for several months. They did not offer further details.
Officials have added that new restrictions will not be applied to the entry of water.
According to an existing fire interruption agreement, Israel should have so far started removing his troops from the Philadelphia corridor, a strategic lane of the country along the border of gauze with Egypt. Until Sunday there was no such movement.
Mr. Netanyahua’s office said that the proposed temporary truce should be expanded to the Muslim post of Ramadan and through the Jewish holiday of the Passover, which ends on April 20. In everything, it is believed that about 25 hostages are still alive in Gaza. Hamas also holds the remains of more than 30 believed to be dead.
After the conclusion of this extension, if an agreement on a permanent interruption is reached, then all the remaining hostages would be released, Mr Netanyahua said.
“Steve Witkoff suggested the expansion framework after giving the impression that, at the moment, there was no possibility of bridging between the positions of the side of the end of the war, and that it took additional time to talk about permanent fire,” the Prime Minister’s office added.
The Israeli government was categorical that the war in Gaza could not end if Hamas did not disarm and remove from power, the expression that Hamas mostly refused.
On Sunday, Israel also raised a spectrum of continuing the fighting in Gaza, noting in a statement that, under the original agreement, Israel could return to the fight at the moment “if the impression that the negotiations were ineffective.”
Hamas is unlikely to accept the new offer of Israel without further negotiations, said Aaron David Miller, Former analyst and negotiator of the Middle East State Department, who is now an older associate at Carnegie for International Peace. The proposal, he said, is “allows the Israelites to return hostages without giving reciprocal obligations.”
Eve Sampson contributions to reporting from New York and Myra Novack from Jerusalem.
