Israel Halts Aid to Gaza after Hamas Rejects US Ceasefire Proposal

Trucks with humanitarian aid arrive at the Palestinian side of the Rafah border crossing with Egypt, in the southern Gaza Strip, October 21, 2023. Photo by Atia Mohammed/Flash90 (Atia Mohammed/Flash90)

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu says Jerusalem will not agree to a ceasefire without the release of its hostages.

By Joshua Marks, JNS

The Israeli government announced on Sunday morning that it has suspended all humanitarian aid to Gaza after the Hamas terrorist organization rejected the ceasefire extension proposed by U.S. Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced that no goods or supplies would enter Gaza until further notice, reaffirming that Jerusalem will not agree to a ceasefire without the release of its hostages.

Hamas insists on moving to Phase 2 of the ceasefire, which includes talks on a permanent end to hostilities, Israeli military withdrawal from Gaza, reconstruction and a prisoner-hostage exchange.

Hamas responded to the Witkoff framework, which was adopted by Israel, by stating: “The only way to bring back the hostages is to complete the agreement” by moving to Phase 2. The terror organization also sent a message ahead of last week’s Cairo summit that it rejects any non-Palestinian governance and opposes the presence of foreign forces in Gaza.

Under the U.S. proposal, half of the remaining hostages (living and deceased) are to be freed on the first day of the extension; the rest will be released if a permanent ceasefire is agreed upon.

The framework was accepted by Israel following a high-level security meeting on Saturday night. Under the proposal, the extension, which is to last 42 days, through the Ramadan and Passover holidays, may be further extended to facilitate negotiations.

If talks prove ineffective, Israel retains the right to resume military operations after 42 days, a condition backed in a side letter by the previous Biden administration and supported by the current Trump administration.

The Washington Free Beacon reported on Friday that Jerusalem is preparing to resume the war in Gaza in four to six weeks. This “decisive” campaign, aimed to wipe out Hamas, could be paused if the terrorist group’s leadership agrees to free hostages, or agrees to disarm and go into exile, the report added.

Amid the ongoing uncertainty with regard to the situation in Gaza and the region generally, Israel’s government on Sunday morning approved an extension of legislation allowing the call-up of 400,000 reservists.

Ramadan started on Friday night and runs until March 29, while Passover begins on April 12 and ends on April 19.

Israeli assessments indicate that Arab terrorist groups in Gaza are holding 59 hostages. Of these, 24 are believed to be alive—all men—while 35, including three women, are believed to be deceased. Two of the living hostages and three of the deceased are foreign nationals.