Hamas has rejected an Israeli request to increase the primary section of the Gaza ceasefire, a senior official has stated.
The militant group will solely launch the remaining Israeli hostages below the phrases of the already agreed-upon phased deal, Mahmoud Mardawi informed Al Jazeera on Sunday.
Below a plan put ahead by US Center East envoy Steve Witkoff, which Israel has accepted, the primary section of the ceasefire deal would proceed by way of Ramadan and Passover, or till 20 April.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s workplace stated earlier Israel would stop all goods and supplies into Gaza after claiming Hamas was refusing to “settle for the Witkoff define for persevering with the talks, which Israel agreed to”.
Hamas condemned the choice to dam support to the enclave, calling it “a battle crime and a blatant assault” on a truce that took a 12 months of negotiations earlier than taking maintain in January.
The international minister of Egypt, a key mediator within the battle, stated the plan was an try to make use of “hunger as a weapon” and “a flagrant and clear violation of humanitarian legislation”.
Saudi Arabia referred to as Israel’s choice “a device of extortion”.
The primary section of the ceasefire, which expired on Saturday, noticed a surge in humanitarian support after months of rising starvation.
Negotiations on the second section had been meant to start out a month in the past however have not begun.
Israel warned of “further penalties” if Hamas refused to conform to its proposal.
Below the US proposal, Hamas would launch half the hostages on the primary day and the remainder when an settlement is reached on a everlasting ceasefire, Mr Netanyahu stated.
Hamas at the moment holds 59 hostages, 35 of them believed to be useless, of the estimated 250 captives taken to Gaza after its 7 October 2023 raid on southern Israel in which 1,200 people died.
Washington made no quick remark however Mr Netanyahu stated Israel is absolutely coordinated with the Trump administration and the ceasefire will solely proceed so long as Hamas retains releasing hostages.
The Worldwide Committee of the Crimson Cross warned that “any unraveling of the ahead momentum created during the last six weeks dangers plunging folks again into despair”.
The ceasefire has saved numerous lives, the humanitarian organisation stated.
UN humanitarian chief Tom Fletcher referred to as Israel’s choice “alarming,” noting that support entry is enshrined in worldwide humanitarian legislation.
Most of Gaza’s two million-plus residents rely on worldwide support due to the privations attributable to the battle.
About 600 support vehicles had entered every day for the reason that ceasefire started on 19 January, easing fears of famine raised by worldwide consultants.
Medical charity MSF accused Israel of utilizing support as a bargaining chip, one thing it described as “unacceptable” and “outrageous”.
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