It warned of “additional consequences” if Hamas did not accept what Israel said was a US proposal to extend the Gaza ceasefire. Hamas called the aid cut-off “cheap extortion”.
It warned of “additional consequences” if Hamas did not accept what Israel said was a US proposal to extend the Gaza ceasefire. Hamas called the aid cut-off “cheap extortion”.
Updated March 2, 2025 — 5.29pmfirst published at 10.31am
Tel Aviv/Cairo: Israel said on Sunday it was stopping the entry of all goods and supplies into the Gaza Strip and warned of “additional consequences” if Hamas did not accept a new proposal for an extension of the ceasefire.
Hamas accused Israel of trying to derail the fragile truce and said its decision to cut off aid was “cheap extortion, a war crime and a blatant attack on the [ceasefire] agreement.”
The first phase of the Israel-Hamas ceasefire, which included a surge in humanitarian assistance, expired on Saturday. The two sides have yet to negotiate the second phase, in which Hamas was to release dozens of remaining hostages in return for an Israeli pullout and a lasting ceasefire.
Israel said earlier on Sunday that it supported a proposal to extend the first phase of the ceasefire through Ramadan and Passover, or April 20. It said the proposal came from the Trump administration’s Middle East envoy, Steve Witkoff.
Under that plan, Hamas would release half the hostages, alive or dead, on the first day and the rest if agreement were reached on a permanent ceasefire, according to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office.
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The initial statement said it was proposed after US envoy Steve Witkoff got “the impression that at this stage there was no possibility of bridging the positions of the parties to end the war, and that more time was needed for talks on a permanent ceasefire”.
There was no immediate comment from the United States, Egypt or Qatar, which have been involved in negotiations on starting the ceasefire’s second phase in Cairo.
Hamas had earlier rejected an Israeli proposal to extend the ceasefire’s first phase by 42 days – doubling its length – saying it went against the truce agreement, a member of the group who requested anonymity to discuss the closed-door negotiations said.
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Basem Naim, a member of Hamas’ political bureau, told the Associated Press there had been “no progress” before Israeli negotiators returned home on Friday. Hamas did not attend, but its position has been represented through Egyptian and Qatari mediators.
Under the ceasefire deal’s terms, fighting should not resume while negotiations are under way on phase two.
Israel’s statement earlier on Sunday said it could return to fighting “if it believes that the negotiations are ineffective”, and it noted Hamas’ refusal to accept the proposal for an extension of the first phase.
However, “if Hamas changes its position, Israel will immediately enter into negotiations on all the details of the Witkoff plan”, the statement said.
Before Israel’s latest statements, an Egyptian official speaking on condition of anonymity said Hamas, Qatar and Egypt wanted to continue with the existing ceasefire deal, and rejected Israel’s proposal to extend the ceasefire for four weeks with a release of hostages every Saturday without officially entering negotiations on the second phase.
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The Egyptian official said the US wanted to start negotiations on the second phase but called for hostage releases during the negotiations. Hamas insisted on a full implementation of the ceasefire terms.
The first phase, which paused 15 months of fighting in Gaza, saw the release of 33 hostages, including eight bodies, in exchange for nearly 2000 Palestinian prisoners. Hundreds of thousands of people returned home to northern Gaza, aid into the territory increased, and Israeli forces withdrew to buffer zones.
Hamas’ October 7, 2023 attack on Israel left 1200 dead and some 250 people were taken hostage. Since then, Israel’s military offensive has killed more than 48,000 Palestinians, according to Gaza health officials. According to Israel, 32 of the 59 hostages still in Gaza are dead.
The two sides agreed to the three-phase ceasefire deal in January, with talks on the second phase meant to start the first week of February. Israelis rallied on Saturday night to urge their government to continue the deal.
Hamas has reaffirmed its “full commitment to implementing all terms of the agreement in all its stages and details” and called on the international community to pressure Israel to immediately proceed to the second phase.
AP, Reuters
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