Israel blocked the entry of aid trucks into Gaza on Sunday as ceasefire tensions escalated, with Hamas urging Egyptian and Qatari mediators to intervene in stalled negotiations.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office announced that it had accepted a U.S.-backed proposal from President Donald Trump’s envoy, Steve Witkoff, for a temporary truce covering the Ramadan and Passover periods. The deal would extend the ceasefire until the end of Ramadan on March 31 and the Jewish holiday of Passover on April 20, contingent on Hamas releasing half of the remaining hostages on the first day and the rest at the conclusion, pending a permanent ceasefire agreement.
However, Hamas rejected the temporary extension, insisting on the terms of the originally agreed ceasefire, which was set to enter a second phase involving negotiations for a lasting end to hostilities. Senior Hamas official Mahmoud Mardawi told Al Jazeera that the group would only release remaining Israeli hostages under the agreed phased deal.
As tensions mounted, local health officials reported that Israeli forces had shot and killed four Palestinians in separate incidents in northern and southern Gaza. The Israeli military claimed the individuals were suspected of planting explosives near its troops, prompting an airstrike.
Egyptian officials confirmed that Israeli representatives in Cairo had sought to prolong the first phase of the ceasefire by 42 days, while Hamas insisted on advancing to the second phase. Hamas spokesperson Hazem Qassem accused Israel of attempting to manipulate the terms of the truce.
During the initial ceasefire phase, Hamas released 33 Israeli hostages along with five Thai captives in an unscheduled gesture, while Israel freed approximately 2,000 Palestinian prisoners. Israeli troops also withdrew from certain positions in Gaza. The second phase was meant to include negotiations for the release of the remaining 59 hostages, a full Israeli withdrawal, and an end to the war. However, talks never materialized, with Israel demanding that all hostages be freed before halting military operations.
“Israel will not allow a ceasefire without the release of our hostages,” Netanyahu’s office declared, announcing the suspension of aid shipments into Gaza. “If Hamas persists in its refusal, there will be additional consequences.”
Hamas condemned Israel’s move as “blackmail” and a “blatant coup against the agreement.” The group called on mediators to pressure Israel into honoring the truce terms, warning that its refusal to do so jeopardized further negotiations. Senior Hamas official Sami Abu Zuhri told Reuters that the blockade would not coerce the group into concessions.
Later on Sunday, Israeli officials confirmed that a delegation would head to Cairo for discussions aimed at easing tensions and maintaining the ceasefire.
Speaking at a press conference with his Croatian counterpart, Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar stated that Palestinians in Gaza would not receive aid “for free” and that negotiations should be directly tied to the release of hostages. He claimed the U.S. “understands” Israel’s decision to halt aid deliveries and blamed Hamas for the current impasse.
Despite accusations from both sides of ceasefire violations, the truce has largely held for six weeks, facilitating the hostage-prisoner exchange. However, major disagreements persist over a permanent resolution, including governance of postwar Gaza and the role of Hamas, which launched the October 7, 2023, attack on southern Israel that killed 1,200 people and resulted in 251 hostages being taken into Gaza.
Israel’s subsequent military campaign has killed more than 48,000 Palestinians, displaced nearly all of Gaza’s 2.3 million residents, and left the enclave in ruins.
Israel insists that Hamas must be dismantled and cannot be part of any future governing structure in Gaza. It also rejects reinstating the Palestinian Authority, which governs parts of the occupied West Bank. Hamas, while signaling it would not insist on retaining power, demands a say in Gaza’s postwar administration.
Further complicating matters is Trump’s controversial proposal to relocate Gaza’s Palestinian population and redevelop the territory under U.S. ownership, a plan that has drawn widespread condemnation.
As diplomatic efforts continue, the crisis in Gaza remains dire, with humanitarian aid blocked and negotiations deadlocked, leaving millions at risk amid growing regional instability.
