Israel blocks aid into Gaza as ceasefire tensions escalate

(CLO) On March 2, Israel blocked aid trucks from entering the Gaza Strip, escalating tensions in the six-week-old ceasefire deadlock. Hamas called on Egyptian and Qatari mediators to intervene.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office announced that it had accepted a proposal by US President Donald Trump's special envoy, Steve Witkoff, for a temporary ceasefire in Gaza during Ramadan and Passover, immediately after the first phase of the previous ceasefire expired.

Israeli soldiers in the Gaza Strip. Photo: CC/Wiki

If agreed, the ceasefire would last until the end of Ramadan around March 31 and the Jewish Passover around April 20.

The ceasefire requires Hamas to return half of the hostages alive and dead on the first day, with the remainder to be released after a permanent ceasefire is reached.

Hamas has declared it is abiding by the initial ceasefire, which is expected to enter a second phase of talks aimed at ending the war permanently, and has rejected a proposal to temporarily extend the 42-day ceasefire.

Senior Hamas official Mahmoud Mardawi said the group was only releasing the remaining Israeli hostages under the terms of a previously agreed phased deal.

Reflecting the fragility of the ceasefire, local health officials said Israeli fire killed four Palestinians in separate attacks in the northern and southern Gaza Strip.

The Israeli military said it had spotted "suspects" nearby in northern Gaza and they had detonated the bomb. The Israeli military said it carried out an air strike to "eliminate the threat".

Egyptian sources said Friday that the Israeli delegation in Cairo had sought a 42-day extension of the first phase, while Hamas wanted to move on to phase two of the truce. Spokesman Hazem Qassem said Saturday that the group rejected Israel's "wording" of extending the first phase.

Under the original deal, phase two was expected to begin negotiations on the release of the remaining 59 hostages, the withdrawal of all Israeli troops from Gaza and a permanent end to the war.

However, talks have not yet begun and Israel says all its hostages must be released to stop the fighting.

Mr Netanyahu's office said the movement of goods and other supplies into the Gaza Strip would be halted. "If Hamas continues to refuse, there will be additional consequences."

Hamas condemned Israel's move as "blackmail" and called it "blatantly against the agreement". "We call on the mediators to put pressure on the occupying forces to fulfill their obligations under the agreement, in all its phases," the group said.

Cao Phong (according to AJ, CNN, BBC)

Source: https://www.congluan.vn/israel-chan-vien-tro-vao-gaza-khi-cang-thang-ngung-ban-leo-thang-post336853.html