Israel Halts Humanitarian Aid To Gaza During Ceasefire Row; Hamas Denounces It As A ‘War Crime’

Israel has declared the halt of all humanitarian supplies and aid into the Gaza Strip if Hamas refuses to accept an extension of the ceasefire. The move follows as talks over a US-suggested extension of the truce continue unresolved, with Hamas turning down earlier proposals.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office threatened “further consequences” if Hamas fails to accept the latest offer, but it did not indicate what those consequences would be. The first part of the truce, which had been in effect for 42 days, ended on Saturday.

Disputed Truce Extension

The US suggested the ceasefire be extended over Ramadan and Passover, on April 20. The scheme, said to have been presented by US envoy Steve Witkoff, is that Hamas must release half the hostages at once, with the rest being set free when a permanent ceasefire agreement is reached.

But Hamas remains officially silent regarding the offer so far. Previously, the movement had rejected a proposal by Israel to extend the duration of the initial period of ceasefire to 84 days on the grounds that it breached the original truce deal. Mediators from Qatar, Egypt, and the US have been pushing for a compromise, but the talks are deadlocked.

Humanitarian Concerns

Suspension of aid has triggered alarm among humanitarians, with Gaza still experiencing acute shortages of food, water, and medicine. Gaza’s Hamas-run health ministry described the move by Israel as a “war crime” and accused it of politicizing humanitarian aid.

“Suspending humanitarian aid is cheap blackmail, a war crime, and an open coup against the ceasefire agreement,” a Hamas spokesman stated.

Egypt’s Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty urged the complete implementation of the truce and asked the European Union to pressure both sides, especially Israel, to keep humanitarian access open.

Casualties and Military Activity

Even with the ceasefire, there has been intermittent violence. Gaza’s civil defense agency said there was artillery shelling and gunfire east of Khan Yunis, and Israeli drone attacks in the area reportedly killed two individuals. Israel’s military said it carried out an airstrike on people suspected of planting explosive devices.

Since the ceasefire commenced on January 19, no less than 116 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli military actions, as per Gaza’s health ministry. Israel asserts that 32 of the remaining 59 hostages in Gaza are already dead.

Hostage Crisis and Prisoner Exchanges

The early part of the ceasefire was marked by Hamas releasing 33 hostages and eight corpses in return for close to 2,000 Palestinian prisoners. The agreement also permitted greater humanitarian assistance to Gaza and saw Israeli troops withdraw from portions of the territory.

Under the proposed truce extension, half of the remaining hostages would be released upon agreement, while the rest would be freed only if a permanent ceasefire is reached. Hamas, however, insists that negotiations should now focus on a second phase aimed at ending the war entirely.

The suspension of aid has sparked international criticism, with the UN threatening a humanitarian crisis in Gaza. A report backed by the UN had previously warned that northern Gaza was “imminent” to experience famine.

Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, meanwhile, who was one of the central figures of Netanyahu’s cabinet, backed up the move to suspend aid and cemented the hardline positions of Israel.

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio has recently confirmed that Washington will speed up $4 billion worth of military assistance to Israel, emphasizing America’s unwavering support for its ally.

With tensions mounting, Palestinian civilians in Gaza, who are already bearing the brunt of months of war, live in fear of more destruction. “We have the right to life and the right to coexist,” a Gaza resident, Abu Mohammed al-Basyuni, said.

The next few days will be pivotal in establishing whether an extension of the truce is possible or if hostilities will be resumed, with the humanitarian situation in Gaza balanced on a edge.

ALSO READ: China’s Military Buildup Raises Concerns Over Taiwan’s LNG Security