Following a suggestion made by the US presidential envoy, Steve Witkoff, Israel has threatened to attack Hamas, saying there would be “consequences” if the Palestinian group did not consent to the now-ended phase one of the ceasefire agreement.
Israel has yet to complete the second phase of the agreement, which would have ultimately put an end to the war, but the first phase ended on Saturday.
Moments after phase one was finished, an Israeli prime minister’s office released a statement published early on Sunday.
The second phase of the agreement is still undergoing discussions.
Israel also stated on Sunday that it would halt all movement into the Gaza Strip.
According to Witkoff’s plan, half of the captives, both alive and dead, would be freed on the first day, with the rest set free if a permanent ceasefire is established, according to Netanyahu’s office.
In addition, Israel said it would resume military operations if the negotiations turned out to be unsuccessful.
Israel will immediately engage in negotiations with Hamas regarding the Witkoff plan’s specifics, it added.
Prior to Ramadan and Passover, Hamas had previously criticized Israel’s “formulation” of calling for the second phase of the ceasefire as originally planned.
Hamas criticized Israel’s threat to stop providing aid as “a blatant attempt to evade the agreement and avoid engaging in negotiations for its second phase.”
The statement reads, “Netanyahu’s decision to stop humanitarian aid is cheap blackmail, a war crime, and a blatant coup against the agreement.” Due to the steadfastness, bravery, and resistance of our people, the war criminal Netanyahu is trying to impose political facts on the ground that his fascist army failed to establish over the course of 15 months of brutal genocide.
He wants to overthrow the signed agreement in order to benefit the lives of the Gaza prisoners who are being held in captivity.
In an era of uncertainty, tensions rise.
Palestinians in the coastal enclave were “very stressed,” according to Al Jazeera’s Hind Khoudary, a reporter from southern Gaza.
They consider this ceasefire to be extremely fragile, she said. Palestinians believe that Israeli forces can attack any location across the Strip at any time because of Israeli drones and jets hovering in the air.
The University of San Francisco’s Middle Eastern Studies director, Stephen Zunes, claims that the US has submitted a proposal in favor of Israel.
He told Al Jazeera from San Francisco, “This is typical.” There will be a compromise between Hamas and Israel. Then Israel will attempt to revise it in its favor. The US will then reject a new plan that favors Israel, according to him, adding that this has been the case since the start of the conflict.
Zunes added that Hamas is in a “difficult situation” because Israel’s decision to hold talks for a second phase has been discussed.
Ceasefire must continue.
Meanwhile, humanitarian organizations have repeatedly argued that the ceasefire must be in place if they want to aid Palestinians living in the coastal town, which has been devastated by the conflict.
The World Food Programme stated in a post on X on Saturday that “the impact of safe and sustained humanitarian access is obvious.” The duration of the ceasefire. “There is no way back.”
Since the ceasefire broke up on January 19, Gaza’s Government Media Office (GMO) has received more than 350 reports of Israeli violations, including military incursions, gunfire, air raids, intensified surveillance, and the obstructing aid.
