Israel blocked the entry of aid trucks into Gaza on Sunday as a standoff over the truce that has halted fighting for the past six weeks escalated, with Hamas calling on Egyptian and Qatari mediators to intervene.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office said earlier that it had adopted a proposal by U.S. President Donald Trump's envoy, Steve Witkoff, for a temporary ceasefire in Gaza for the Ramadan and Passover periods, hours after the first phase of the previously agreed ceasefire expired.
If agreed, the truce would halt fighting until the end of the Ramadan fasting period around March 31 and the Jewish Passover holiday around April 20.
The truce would be conditional on Hamas releasing half of the living and dead hostages on the first day, with the remainder released at the conclusion, if an agreement is reached on a permanent ceasefire.
Hamas says it is committed to the originally agreed ceasefire that had been scheduled to move into a second phase, with negotiations aimed at a permanent end to the war, and it has rejected the idea of a temporary extension to the 42-day truce.
Egyptian sources said on Friday that the Israeli delegation in Cairo had sought to extend the first phase by 42 days, while Hamas wanted to move to the second phase of the ceasefire deal. Spokesman Hazem Qassem said on Saturday that the group rejected Israel's "formulation" of extending the first phase.
In the first phase of the ceasefire, Hamas handed over 33 Israeli hostages as well as five Thais returned in an unscheduled release, in exchange for around 2,000 Palestinian prisoners and detainees from Israeli jails and the withdrawal of Israeli troops from some of their positions in Gaza.
Under the original agreement, the second phase was intended to see the start of negotiations over the release of the remaining 59 hostages, the full withdrawal of Israeli troops from Gaza, and a final end to the war.
However the talks never began and Israel says all its hostages must be returned for fighting to stop.
"Israel will not allow a ceasefire without the release of our hostages," Netanyahu's office said, announcing that the entry of all goods and supplies into the Gaza Strip would be halted.
"If Hamas persists in its refusal, there will be additional consequences."
Hamas has denounced Israel's move as "blackmail" and a "blatant coup against the agreement".
"We call on mediators to pressure the occupation to fulfill its obligations under the agreement, in all its phases," it said, adding that the only way to get the hostages back would be to adhere to the agreement and start talks for the second phase.
Commenting on the goods suspension, Senior Hamas official Sami Abu Zuhri told Reuters the decision would impact the ceasefire talks, adding his group "doesn't respond to pressures."
Israel’s far-right politician and leader of the Otzma Yehudit party, Itamar Ben-Gvir, is set to return to Benjamin Netanyahu’s government amid an intensification of the war in the Gaza Strip.
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An Israeli airstrike on Beit Lahiya killed 9 Palestinians as Hamas holds ceasefire talks in Cairo.
Russia and Ukraine accused each other of new infrastructure attacks, despite a 30-day ceasefire agreed by President Vladimir Putin. Kyiv reported heavy drone strikes, while Moscow claimed to have intercepted Ukrainian drones. The tensions follow a call between Putin and Donald Trump on the conflict.
Israel’s far-right politician and leader of the Otzma Yehudit party, Itamar Ben-Gvir, is set to return to Benjamin Netanyahu’s government amid an intensification of the war in the Gaza Strip.
Germany plans to release an additional 3 billion euros in military aid for Ukraine, marking a breakthrough after Chancellor Olaf Scholz had previously blocked the funds over borrowing rule concerns.
China has appointed Li Xiaolong as vice minister of the Ministry of Housing and the Human Resources Ministry, tasked with overseeing key policies in housing and workforce management.
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Russian President Vladimir Putin agreed on Tuesday to a proposal by U.S. President Donald Trump that Russia and Ukraine cease attacking each other's energy infrastructure for 30 days, the Kremlin said following a lengthy phone discussion between the leaders.
Germany plans to release an additional 3 billion euros in military aid for Ukraine, marking a breakthrough after Chancellor Olaf Scholz had previously blocked the funds over borrowing rule concerns.
China has appointed Li Xiaolong as vice minister of the Ministry of Housing and the Human Resources Ministry, tasked with overseeing key policies in housing and workforce management.
This Sunday, March 23, negotiations will take place between the US and Russia regarding the details of a ceasefire in Ukraine.
Anti-government protests erupted outside Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office, with demonstrators calling for his resignation after his announcement to oust the head of internal security, joined by relatives of hostages worried about their loved ones' fate.
Russia and Ukraine accused each other of new infrastructure attacks, despite a 30-day ceasefire agreed by President Vladimir Putin. Kyiv reported heavy drone strikes, while Moscow claimed to have intercepted Ukrainian drones. The tensions follow a call between Putin and Donald Trump on the conflict.
Israel’s far-right politician and leader of the Otzma Yehudit party, Itamar Ben-Gvir, is set to return to Benjamin Netanyahu’s government amid an intensification of the war in the Gaza Strip.
Germany plans to release an additional 3 billion euros in military aid for Ukraine, marking a breakthrough after Chancellor Olaf Scholz had previously blocked the funds over borrowing rule concerns.
China has appointed Li Xiaolong as vice minister of the Ministry of Housing and the Human Resources Ministry, tasked with overseeing key policies in housing and workforce management.
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