Israel suspends aid to Gaza as first phase of truce ends

AFP | Jerusalem

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Israel said Sunday that it was suspending the entry of supplies into Gaza, with deadly attacks reported in the territory after it and Hamas hit an impasse over how to proceed with their fragile ceasefire.

As the 42-day first phase of the ceasefire drew to a close, Israel gave its backing to an extension it said was put forward by US Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff, which would cover the Muslim holy month of Ramadan and the Jewish holiday of Passover.

Hamas has repeatedly rejected an extension, instead favouring a transition to the truce deal's second phase, which would see the release of all remaining hostages and a more permanent end to the fighting in the war-ravaged Gaza Strip. "Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu decided that, from this morning, all entry of goods and supplies into the Gaza Strip will be suspended," his office said in a statement.

"If Hamas persists with its refusal, there will be other consequences," it added.

Hamas slammed the move, saying in a statement that the "decision to suspend humanitarian aid is cheap blackmail, a war crime and a blatant coup against the (ceasefire) agreement".

Gaza's civil defence agency, meanwhile, reported "artillery shelling and gunfire from Israeli tanks" east of Khan Yunis city, in the southern Gaza Strip.

Approached for comment, the Israeli army said it was "unaware of any artillery shelling in this area".

The Palestine Red Crescent, however, reported one person killed in an Israeli drone strike in the area, and one more killed in another town nearby.

The army also said it had conducted an air strike in northern Gaza targeting suspects it said had "planted an explosive device" near its troops. Gaza's health ministry later reported at least four killed and six wounded in Israeli attacks on Sunday.

Following the announcement of the aid suspension, Netanyahu spokesman Omer Dostri wrote on X: “No trucks entered Gaza this morning, nor will they at this stage.”

The war has left much of Gaza in ruins, displaced the vast majority of its residents and killed more than 48,388 people, mostly civilians, according to the territory’s health ministry, figures the UN has deemed reliable.