Israel stops humanitarian aid into Gaza

Israel said Sunday it has stopped the entry of all humanitarian aid into Gaza after phase one of its ceasefire deal with Hamas expired, citing the militant group’s refusal of a US-backed extension, reports CNN.

The first phase of the ceasefire in Gaza, under which dozens of Israeli hostages and hundreds of Palestinian prisoners and detainees have been freed since mid-January, reached its expiration date on Saturday.

The Israelis want phase one to continue – the exchange of hostages, alive and deceased, in return for the continued release of Palestinian prisoners and detainees, and the flow of higher volumes of aid into Gaza. There are thought to be 24 Israeli hostages still alive in Gaza.

Hamas has insisted on advancing to the second stage, accusing Israel of “ongoing manipulation” with its proposed extension to cover the Islamic holy month of Ramadan and the Jewish holiday of Passover, as proposed by US President Donald Trump’s Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff.

Israel’s Prime Minister’s Office said Sunday: “With the completion of Phase A of the hostage deal, and in light of Hamas’ refusal to accept the Witkoff framework for continuing the talks — which Israel had agreed to — Prime Minister (Benjamin) Netanyahu has decided that as of this morning, all entry of goods and supplies into the Gaza Strip will be stopped.

Israeli foreign minister Gideon Sa’ar said Israel was prepared to continue negotiations “including for the second phase” in exchange for the release of hostages, but stipulated there was “no automatic transition between phases” under the initial agreement.

”As the first phase of the framework has ended - we have halted the entry of trucks into Gaza. We wouldn’t do it for free,” Saar said at a news conference on Sunday.

Nearly 17 months of war in Gaza have reduced much of the enclave to rubble, killed more than 45,000 people, and led to dire living conditions for almost all of its residents._Agencies.