The move came hours after Israel offered a temporary extension of the truce, albeit on terms Hamas is unlikely to accept.
Israel announced Sunday morning that it was immediately halting the entry of all goods and humanitarian aid into Gaza, hours after offering a temporary extension to the expired ceasefire agreement with Hamas.
The decisive move to block aid appeared to be aimed at pressuring Hamas to accept the new framework and to make clear the Israeli government's position in the negotiations.
Under Israel's extension proposal, which it attributed to U.S. special envoy to the region Steve Witkoff, half of the remaining hostages held in Gaza would be released by Israel on the first day of the agreement. If a permanent ceasefire is reached at the end of the temporary extension — until the end of Passover on April 20 — the remaining hostages would be returned.
In a statement, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office said he had decided that “as of this morning, all supplies and goods to the Gaza Strip will be stopped” due to “Hamas' refusal to accept the Witkoff plan to continue negotiations, which Israel has agreed to.”
The statement added: “Israel will not allow a ceasefire without the release of our hostages. If Hamas continues to refuse, there will be further consequences.”
Hamas immediately rejected the move, calling it “cheap blackmail, a war crime and a flagrant violation of the agreement” in a statement.
