Vehicles loaded with humanitarian help drive by way of Rafah within the southern Gaza Strip after getting 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 simply accept a U.S. proposal to increase the primary section of the six-week-old ceasefire, and threatened “additional penalties.”
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s workplace mentioned President Trump’s Center East Particular Envoy Steve Witkoff had proposed an extension of the primary section of the ceasefire with Hamas by way of Ramadan and Passover which may see the discharge of the remaining 59 Israeli hostages nonetheless held in Gaza. Ramadan started Friday night time and ends March 29. Passover ends on April 19.
The brand new proposal Israel has introduced would have Hamas launch half of the residing and lifeless hostages initially 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 conflict.
“Israel won’t enable a ceasefire with out the discharge of our hostages,” in keeping with an announcement from the prime minister’s workplace. “If Hamas continues its refusal, there shall be additional penalties.” The assertion didn’t elaborate on what penalties may observe, however mentioned Israel had a U.S. dedication to permit it to renew the conflict if ceasefire negotiations had been deemed ineffective.
Hamas accuses Israel of blackmail
Hamas, in an announcement, 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 keeping with Gaza well being officers, and many of the buildings within the occupied Palestinian territory had been both destroyed or broken.
The ceasefire was being carried out beneath three phases. Underneath the primary section, 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 trade, Israel freed round 1,900 Palestinian prisoners and detainees.
The second section of the ceasefire was set to start Sunday, beneath 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 section.
Hamas accused Israel of a “blatant try” to evade the unique settlement.
“Netanyahu’s choice to cease humanitarian help is affordable blackmail, a conflict crime and a blatant coup in opposition to the settlement. The mediators and the worldwide group should transfer to strain the occupation and cease its punitive and immoral measures in opposition to greater than two million individuals within the Gaza Strip,” Hamas mentioned in an announcement.
Israel mentioned that just about 21 thousand vehicles of help entered Gaza for the reason that starting of the ceasefire in January.
Help organizations estimated that just about your complete 2 million Palestnians residing in Gaza relied on this life saving help, and there have been famine-like circumstances in Gaza as a result of such little help was moving into.
After months of counting on canned items, individuals in Gaza began to slowly discover more energizing greens, fruits, and frozen meats available in the market.
40-year outdated Ibrahim Abu Sultan from Jabaliya refugee camp in northern Gaza mentioned that the inflow of help helped his household.
“Earlier than the ceasefire, we’d eat one meal each two or three days. Now we are able to a minimum of heave a meal a day,” Abu Sultan mentioned.
The expiration of the primary section of the ceasefire coincided with the primary day of Ramadan. It was the primary Ramadan in Gaza not beneath Israeli bombardment for the reason that starting of the conflict.
Movies posted on-line confirmed lights and decorations strung among the many destruction of the buildings as individuals gathered to interrupt the quick collectively among the many rubble of their properties.
Trump will meet a launched Israeli hostage, in keeping with 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, informed 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 mentioned.
Eli Sharabi, who was kidnapped from his house in Kibbutz Be’eri on Oct. 7, 2023, detailed the tough 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 complete length of his captivity, most of which he spent in underground Hamas tunnels. He mentioned he was held with three different hostages, and spoke of putting up with excessive starvation and shedding round 66 kilos whereas he was held hostage.
Sharabi mentioned when a Hamas operative found his household’s house had been bombed by the Israeli army, he was severely crushed, struggling damaged ribs that made it tough 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 mentioned. “Your abdomen sticks to your again. You possibly can actually see it caving in and might’t consider it is occurring to your physique.”
He referred to as on Israel to make all efforts to safe the discharge of all Israeli hostages as quickly as doable.
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.
