London – The Office of the Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, said on Sunday that the country imposed a blockade in all the humanitarian aid that is directed to the Gaza Strip, after the expiration of phase 1 of the Alto El Fuego de Israel agreement with Hamas and with negotiations with respect to phase 2 still ongoing.
“Prime Minister Netanyahu has decided that, as of this morning, all the entry of goods and supplies in the Gaza Strip will cease,” said Netanyahu’s office, accusing Hamas of refusing to accept the scheme of the continuous conversations established by President Donald Trump’s envoy, the envoy of Middle East Steve Witkoff.
“Israel will not allow fire without the launch of our hostages,” said the statement. “If Hamas continues his rejection, there will be more consequences.”
An Israeli source told ABC News that “the Israeli decision to stop Gaza’s aid was coordinated with the Trump administration.”
The Palestinians gather for a community meal, or a fast food, the first day of the Holy Muslim month of Ramadan, in the midst of debris in Rafah in the Strip of Gaza del Sur on March 1, 2025.
-/AFP through Getty Images
Witkoff’s proposal was for a temporary extension of the high fire that covers the holiday periods of Ramadan and Easter, which ended on April 20. According to that proposal, Hamas would release half of all living and deceased hostages on the first day and the rest when an agreement is reached in a permanent fire.
The Israeli statement occurred after weekend negotiations with respect to phase 2 of the Alto El Fuego in Cairo, Egypt. Hamas was not directly involved in the conversations and was represented by Qatar and Egyptian officials, who spoke with the delegations of us and Israelis.
Hamas said in a Sunday statement that “Netanyahu’s decision to stop humanitarian aid is a cheap blackmail, a war crime and a flagrant blow against the agreement.”
“We reaffirm our commitment to implement the agreement signed in its three stages and we have repeatedly announced our preparation to begin negotiations for the second stage of the agreement,” the group added, asking the United States “to stop their bias and alignment” with Israel.
“We make the mediators press the occupation to implement their obligations under the agreement, in all its stages, and implement the humanitarian protocol, and bring shelters and rescue equipment to the Gaza Strip,” Hamas added.
The statement said that “the only way” to ensure the return of Israeli hostages is to adhere to the high fire and “immediately enter negotiations to begin the second stage.”
Meanwhile, Israel’s defense forces said in a statement on Sunday that their combat aircraft bombarded Beit Hanoun in the north of the strip, an area repeatedly and repeatedly attacked by Israeli forces during the war.
The FDI said the air attack pointed to “several suspects” that operated near the IDF troops in northern Gaza, which were “identified by planting an explosive device in the area.”
People stand in trucks loaded with humanitarian aid in Rafah in the Southern Gaza Strip after entering from Kerem Shalom’s crossing on February 18, 2025.
Eyad Baba/AFP through Gettty Images
Jordana Miller, Nasser Atta and Somayeh Malekian of ABC News contributed to this report.
