Israel announced on Sunday morning it had immediately stopped all goods and humanitarian invasions into Gaza, shortly after it proposed a temporary extension of its currently announced ceasefire with Hamas.
The dramatic steps to block aid appeared to be aimed at pressure Hamas to embrace a new framework. And to clarify the Israeli government's negotiating position.
Under Israel's proposals due to US envoys, half of the remaining hostages held in Gaza will be released to Israel on the first day of the agreement. At the end of the temporary extension, extend to the end of the Passover on April 20th – if you reach a permanent ceasefire, the rest of the hostages will then be returned.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office said in a statement that it has decided that “all goods and supplies in the Gaza Strip will be stopped this morning.”
The statement added: “Israel will not allow a ceasefire without the release of hostages. If Hamas continues to reject it, there will be more consequences.”
The move could exacerbate the conditions of another 2 million Gazan after 15 months of war left most of the abandoned coastal enclave.
Israel and Hamas are struggling to move from the first stage of the ceasefire to the first stage of the ceasefire, which expired on Saturday, to a more comprehensive stage as the deal was initially sought.
According to the Prime Minister's Office, Israel's proposal for a temporary ceasefire came after a cabinet meeting, led by Netanyahu and attended by Israeli Defence Minister, senior defense secretary and a negotiation team.
Earlier on Saturday, a Hamas spokesman told Al Arabi TV that extremist groups had rejected the framework for Israel's expansion, Reuters reported.
Both Israel and Hamas have reason to avoid another fight, at least for now. Hamas wants to give the troops the opportunity to recover, but Israel wants to take the remaining hostages home. However, the outlook for a comprehensive contract appears to be far away.
According to Aaron David Miller, Hamas is unlikely to accept Israel's offer without further negotiations. A former Middle East analyst at the State Department and a negotiator who is currently a senior fellow at Carnegie's International Peace Fund. The proposal “enables the Israelis to reclaim hostages without making mutual commitments,” he said.
Under this proposal, the extension will cover the Holy Moon of Muslims, beginning on weekends and ending at the end of March, and covering past Jewish holidays from the evening of April 12th to April 20th.
“Hamas is not going to return all of the hostages until the Israelis withdraw their troops, formally declare and adhere to the end of the war,” Miller said. “No one is going to give it to Hamas that guarantees that,” he added.
Israel and Hamas accused each other of violating existing transactions, which were listed on the last day of the Biden administration. Phase 1 of that deal allowed a six-week ceasefire to negotiate the end of the war.
Conditions included the exchange of Israeli hostages with Palestinian prisoners. A week ago, Israel delayed the release of hundreds of prisoners who protested to handing over Hamas' hostages before they paraded them in public glasses.
Negotiations between Hamas and Israel, completed by each weekend, have not yet begun in earnest, but officials from the parties visited Cairo to discuss the next steps. Netanyahu said Israel is ready to resume fighting if Hamas does not voluntarily disarm it.
Hamas avoided calling for a resumption of hostility, although the group refused to surrender.
