Tension Flares as Israel Halts Aid to Gaza Amid Ceasefire Standoff

On Sunday, March 2, Israel prevented aid trucks from entering Gaza, escalating tensions over the truce that has kept the fighting at bay for the past six weeks. Hamas has called on Egyptian and Qatari mediators to intervene in the situation.

The office of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced that it had accepted a proposal from U.S. President Donald Trump’s envoy, Steve Witkoff, for a temporary ceasefire in Gaza during the Ramadan and Passover periods. This decision came after the initial phase of the agreed ceasefire had expired.

If approved, the ceasefire would last until the end of Ramadan on March 31 and the Jewish Passover holiday on April 20. Hamas has stated that the truce would require the release of half of the living and deceased hostages on the first day, with the rest to be released upon reaching a permanent ceasefire agreement.

Hamas has expressed its commitment to the original ceasefire agreement, which was supposed to progress to a second phase involving negotiations for a permanent end to the conflict. The group has rejected the idea of a temporary extension to the 42-day truce.

A senior Hamas official, Mahmoud Mardawi, has stated that the remaining Israeli hostages will only be released according to the terms of the phased agreement already in place. The Israeli military reported that suspects near their troops in northern Gaza had planted a bomb, leading to an airstrike to eliminate the threat.

Egyptian sources revealed that the Israeli delegation in Cairo had requested a 42-day extension of the first phase, while Hamas wanted to move forward to the second phase of the ceasefire agreement. Hamas spokesman Hazem Qassem stated that the group opposed Israel’s proposal to extend the first phase.

During the initial phase of the ceasefire, Hamas released 33 Israeli hostages and five Thais in an unscheduled exchange for around 2,000 Palestinian prisoners.

According to the original agreement, the second phase was supposed to involve negotiations for the release of the remaining 59 hostages, the complete withdrawal of Israeli troops from Gaza, and a definitive end to the war. Unfortunately, these talks never commenced, and Israel insists that all of its hostages must be returned before any fighting can cease.

Israel has made it clear that a ceasefire will not be accepted without the release of their hostages. Prime Minister Netanyahu’s office stated that all goods and supplies entering the Gaza Strip would be stopped until the hostages are returned. If Hamas continues to refuse, there will be further consequences.

Hamas has condemned Israel’s actions as blackmail and a violation of the agreement. They are calling on mediators to pressure Israel to fulfill its obligations under the agreement and to begin negotiations for the second phase in order to secure the release of the hostages.

Israeli officials have announced that a delegation will be sent to Cairo to discuss ways to de-escalate tensions and maintain the ceasefire. Foreign Minister Gideon Saar emphasized that Palestinians in Gaza will not receive goods for free and that further negotiations should be tied to the release of the hostages.

Both sides have accused each other of violating the agreement over the past six weeks. Hamas initiated Israel’s invasion of Gaza with an attack on southern Israel on October 7, 2023, resulting in the deaths of 1,200 people and the capture of 251 hostages. The Israeli military campaign has led to the deaths of over 48,000 Palestinians, the displacement of nearly the entire population of 2.3 million, and the devastation of Gaza.