Vans loaded with humanitarian help drive by way of Rafah within the southern Gaza Strip after coming into from the Kerem Shalom crossing on February 18, 2025.
Eyad Baba/AFP through Getty Pictures
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Eyad Baba/AFP through Getty Pictures
TEL AVIV — Israel says that it’s stopping the entry of all items and provides into the Gaza Strip, citing what it described as Hamas’ refusal to just accept a U.S. proposal to increase the primary part of the six-week-old ceasefire, and threatened “additional penalties.”
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s workplace stated President Trump’s Center East Particular Envoy Steve Witkoff had proposed an extension of the primary part of the ceasefire with Hamas by way of Ramadan and Passover which might see the discharge of the remaining 59 Israeli hostages nonetheless held in Gaza. Ramadan started Friday evening and ends March 29. Passover ends on April 19.
The brand new proposal Israel has introduced would have Hamas launch half of the dwelling and lifeless hostages in the beginning of the seven-week ceasefire interval, and would safe the discharge of the remaining hostages by the tip, if the 2 sides attain an settlement on a everlasting finish of the battle.
“Israel is not going to permit a ceasefire with out the discharge of our hostages,” in response to a press release from the prime minister’s workplace. “If Hamas continues its refusal, there will likely be additional penalties.” The assertion didn’t elaborate on what penalties might observe, however stated Israel had a U.S. dedication to permit it to renew the battle if ceasefire negotiations had been deemed ineffective.
Hamas accuses Israel of blackmail
Hamas, in a press release, accused Netanyahu of attempting to evade the framework of the ceasefire settlement that went into impact Jan. 19 after 15 months of battle sparked by the Hamas-led Oct. 7, 2023 assault on Israel. Greater than 48,000 Palestinians had been killed within the battle, in response to Gaza well being officers, and many of the buildings within the occupied Palestinian territory had been both destroyed or broken.
The ceasefire was being applied below three phases. Beneath the primary part, Palestinian Hamas militants launched 33 Israeli hostages held in Gaza after being seized within the Oct. 7, 2023 assault on Israel that additionally killed round 1,200 Israelis. In alternate, Israel freed round 1,900 Palestinian prisoners and detainees.
The second part of the ceasefire was set to start Sunday, below the phrases of the deal, and see the discharge of the 59 Israeli hostages nonetheless held in Gaza, 32 of whom are believed to be lifeless. It additionally aimed to safe a extra everlasting finish to the battle.
However negotiations in Cairo final week failed to attain any consensus on implementation of the second part.
Hamas accused Israel of a “blatant try” to evade the unique settlement.
“Netanyahu’s resolution to cease humanitarian help is affordable blackmail, a battle crime and a blatant coup towards the settlement. The mediators and the worldwide neighborhood should transfer to strain the occupation and cease its punitive and immoral measures towards greater than two million folks within the Gaza Strip,” Hamas stated in a press release.
Israel stated that nearly 21 thousand vans of help entered Gaza because the starting of the ceasefire in January.
Assist organizations estimated that nearly your entire 2 million Palestnians dwelling in Gaza trusted this life saving help, and there have been famine-like circumstances in Gaza as a result of such little help was getting into.
After months of counting on canned items, folks in Gaza began to slowly discover brisker greens, fruits, and frozen meats available in the market.
40-year previous Ibrahim Abu Sultan from Jabaliya refugee camp in northern Gaza stated that the inflow of help helped his household.
“Earlier than the ceasefire, we might eat one meal each two or three days. Now we will at the very least heave a meal a day,” Abu Sultan stated.
The expiration of the primary part of the ceasefire coincided with the primary day of Ramadan. It was the primary Ramadan in Gaza not below Israeli bombardment because the starting of the battle.
Movies posted on-line confirmed lights and decorations strung among the many destruction of the buildings as folks gathered to interrupt the quick collectively among the many rubble of their properties.
Trump will meet a launched Israeli hostage, in response to launched hostage’s household
Eli Sharabi, who was launched from Gaza final month after 491 days in Hamas captivity, will meet with President Trump on Tuesday, Sharabi’s brother, Sharon, instructed Israeli Channel 12.
Trump megadonor Miriam Adelson, an Israeli-American, is flying the Sharabi household to Washington for the assembly, the launched hostage’s brother stated.
Eli Sharabi, who was kidnapped from his residence in Kibbutz Be’eri on Oct. 7, 2023, detailed the cruel circumstances of captivity within the first prolonged interview given by an Israeli freed in a current spherical of hostage releases.
Within the interview with the Israeli tv documentary program Uvda, Sharabi described his fingers and legs being shackled for your entire period of his captivity, most of which he spent in underground Hamas tunnels. He stated he was held with three different hostages, and spoke of tolerating excessive starvation and shedding round 66 kilos whereas he was held hostage.
Sharabi stated when a Hamas operative found his household’s residence had been bombed by the Israeli army, he was severely crushed, struggling damaged ribs that made it troublesome for him to breathe for days.
“I did not care in regards to the beatings. They broke my ribs, however the starvation was worse. I simply wished them to offer me half a pita,” he stated. “Your abdomen sticks to your again. You possibly can actually see it caving in and may’t imagine it is taking place to your physique.”
He referred to as on Israel to make all efforts to safe the discharge of all Israeli hostages as quickly as attainable.
Sharabi’s spouse, two daughters and brother had been killed within the Hamas-led assault Oct. 7, 2023.
Itay Stern in Tel Aviv and Ahmed Abuhamda in Cairo contributed to this report.
