Netanyahu’s Ruthless Siege: Israel Strangles Gaza, Blocking All Aid to Force Hamas Surrender
Israel has stopped all humanitarian aid from entering Gaza, insisting that Hamas must accept a U.S.-backed proposal to extend the ceasefire.
The truce, which was mediated by Egypt, Qatar, and the U.S., ended on Saturday. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office claimed that Hamas rejected a temporary extension suggested by Donald Trump’s envoy, Steve Witkoff.
A Hamas spokesperson condemned Israel’s actions, calling them “cheap blackmail” and a violation of the ceasefire agreement. He urged mediators to step in.
The ceasefire had paused 15 months of fighting between Hamas and Israeli forces. During this period, 33 Israeli hostages were exchanged for around 1,900 Palestinian prisoners and detainees.
The ceasefire plan, originally introduced by U.S. President Joe Biden, consists of three phases.
The first phase, which began on January 19, lasted until Saturday.
Phase two is meant to bring about a permanent ceasefire, free all remaining hostages, and ensure the withdrawal of Israeli troops from Gaza. However, talks on this stage have barely progressed.
Phase three involves returning the bodies of deceased hostages and rebuilding Gaza, a process expected to take years.
Hamas has previously stated it will not agree to extending the first phase unless mediators guarantee that phase two will happen.
As the first phase ended, Netanyahu’s office announced that Israel had accepted Witkoff’s proposal to continue the ceasefire for about six weeks, covering both Ramadan and Passover.
If negotiations fail by the end of this period, Israel has stated it will resume military operations.
Witkoff’s proposal has not been made public. However, Israel claims it involves releasing half of the remaining hostages, both alive and deceased.
According to Israeli sources, Witkoff suggested extending the truce to allow more time to negotiate the conditions for ending the war.
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Netanyahu’s office stated: “Now that Phase 1 of the hostage deal has ended and Hamas has refused the Witkoff outline—despite Israel’s acceptance—Prime Minister Netanyahu has ordered that, starting this morning, no goods or supplies will enter Gaza.
“Israel will not allow a ceasefire without our hostages’ release. If Hamas keeps refusing, there will be further consequences.”
A Hamas spokesperson responded: “Netanyahu’s decision to block aid to Gaza once again reveals the brutal nature of the Israeli occupation… The international community must pressure Israel to stop starving our people.”
On Sunday morning, aid agencies confirmed that no humanitarian trucks had been allowed into Gaza.
Antoine Renard from the World Food Programme (WFP) told the BBC: “Humanitarian aid must continue flowing into Gaza. It is crucial. We urge all parties to find a solution.”
Since the ceasefire began in mid-January, thousands of aid trucks entered Gaza weekly.
Despite Israel’s decision, agencies had stockpiled supplies, so there was no immediate risk of starvation.
Egypt has called for the full implementation of the ceasefire agreement.
The Egyptian foreign minister said that at an emergency Arab summit on Tuesday, Egypt would present a plan to rebuild Gaza without displacing its population.
On the battlefield, Israeli airstrikes reportedly killed four people in Gaza on Sunday. The Israeli military said it targeted individuals planting an explosive device in northern Gaza.
Currently, 24 hostages are believed to be alive, while 39 are presumed dead.
The conflict started on October 7, 2023, when Hamas launched an attack on Israel, killing around 1,200 people and kidnapping 251 others.
Israel retaliated with airstrikes and a ground invasion in Gaza, where the Hamas-run health ministry reports at least 48,365 people have been killed.
Netanyahu’s Ruthless Siege: Israel Strangles Gaza, Blocking All Aid to Force Hamas Surrender
