Israel has halted the entry of aid trucks into Gaza as tensions escalate over the stalled ceasefire agreement, with Hamas urging Egyptian and Qatari mediators to intervene.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office announced its acceptance of a U.S.-backed proposal for a temporary truce covering Ramadan and Passover, just hours after the previous ceasefire phase expired. The proposed deal would extend the truce until April 20 but hinges on Hamas releasing half of the remaining hostages immediately.
Hamas, however, insists on implementing the originally agreed second phase of the ceasefire, which aimed to transition into permanent peace talks. The group has rejected Israel’s call for a temporary extension, deepening the standoff.
Amid the deadlock, Israeli troops reportedly killed four Palestinians in separate incidents in Gaza. The Israeli military claimed its forces targeted individuals allegedly planting explosives near its positions in the north.
The disagreement stems from diverging interpretations of the ceasefire terms. While Israel is pushing for a hostage-for-truce deal, Hamas argues that the next phase should focus on full Israeli withdrawal from Gaza and long-term negotiations.
In the first phase of the agreement, Hamas released 33 Israeli hostages and five Thai nationals in exchange for about 2,000 Palestinian detainees. However, talks on the release of the remaining 59 captives never began, with Israel now demanding that all hostages be freed before further discussions.
“Israel will not allow a ceasefire without the release of our hostages,” Netanyahu’s office said, announcing a halt to all aid deliveries into Gaza. “If Hamas persists in its refusal, there will be additional consequences.”
Hamas condemned the move as “blackmail,” calling on mediators to pressure Israel to abide by the full agreement. Senior Hamas official Sami Abu Zuhri warned that suspending aid would negatively impact negotiations, asserting that the group “doesn’t respond to pressures.”
Later on Sunday, Israeli officials confirmed that a delegation would travel to Cairo to explore ways to prevent a breakdown of the ceasefire.
Growing Diplomatic Standoff
Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar defended the aid blockade, stating that goods would not enter Gaza “for free” and that any further negotiations must be tied to hostage releases. He also claimed Washington supports Israel’s position, blaming Hamas for the current impasse.
Over the past six weeks, both sides have accused each other of violating the ceasefire, though the agreement has largely held as prisoner swaps were carried out. However, deeper disputes over Gaza’s postwar governance and Hamas’s future remain unresolved.
The conflict, which began after Hamas’s October 7, 2023, attack on southern Israel—killing 1,200 people and taking 251 hostages—has since devastated Gaza. Israel’s military campaign has killed over 48,000 Palestinians and displaced nearly all of the territory’s 2.3 million residents.
Israel insists that Hamas must be dismantled and play no role in Gaza’s future, rejecting any return of the Palestinian Authority to govern the enclave. Hamas, for its part, has indicated openness to a new administration but demands a say in its formation.
Further complicating the situation, former U.S. President Donald Trump has proposed relocating Gaza’s population and redeveloping the area under American ownership—a plan widely dismissed by Palestinians and the international community.
