Israel announced on Sunday that it would block all commodities and humanitarian aid from entering Gaza, a harsh move that undermined the existing, agreed framework to negotiate a permanent end to the war.
The decision comes the day after the end of the first phase of the ceasefire deal between Israel and Hamas. Here’s what to know:
What does Israel say?
Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced that the movement of humanitarian aid and goods had been stopped after his administration proposed a seven-week extension to the temporary ceasefire, and at the beginning, Hamas had to release half of Hamas’s hostages and half of the dead.
The decision is clearly part of a forced Hamas to accept Israel’s ceasefire proposal.
Hamas led an attack on Israel that killed about 1,200 people on October 7, 2023, resulting in about 250 hostages and triggered a devastating war in Gaza. During the initial ceasefire, 25 Israeli hostages and eight bodies were sent back to Israel in exchange for about 1,500 Palestinian prisoners and detainees. The agreement also allows for a substantial increase in aid to Gaza.
Israel attributes its extension proposal to the work of the new U.S. envoy, Steve Witkoff. It will replace the original deal negotiated by the United States, Qatar and Egypt, calling for the next phase to include the entire evacuation of Israeli forces from Gaza and promise a permanent ceasefire in exchange for all remaining hostages in Gaza.
How does Hamas respond?
Hamas issued a statement Sunday describing the pause in the aid as “cheap blackmail.” The group said Israel’s decision was a “blatant increase agreement” and added that it was still willing to start negotiations in the second phase of the deal.
What is the impact of the announcement?
According to two Israeli officials, the stop is not applicable to water could cause further hardship for Palestinian civilians, many of whom are at the beginning of Ramadan. The fuel supply that is crucial to the bakery is also halting.
In addition to stopping humanitarian aid, Israel’s decision may also swell in the price of commodity that began to appear in the Gaza market in recent weeks, amid the calm of the battle.
Abdulrahman Mohammed, 35, a four-year-old father in Gaza, said the news has caused a surge in prices of essential goods.
During the 15-month war, Israeli bombing and fighting destroyed Gaza, killing more than 45,000 people, according to Palestinian health authorities. Compared with the pre-war period, the amount of aid arrived in Gaza was also greatly reduced.
The United Nations and aid groups accuse Israel of restrictions, while Israel pointed its finger at aid organizations. The result of the reduction is severe malnutrition. Last year experts repeatedly warned of the crisis. Under the terms of the ceasefire, aid on the plane surged. This stage seems to be over now.
The move also brought the fate of the remaining hostages in Gaza into unknown territory.
