Israel moved Monday to scrap the existing ceasefire deal in Gaza and replace it with what it described as “a new United States ceasefire plan.”
Tel Aviv is trying to force the new plan on the Palestinians by imposing a siege on the Gaza Strip. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu referred to the new plan as “the Witkoff proposal,” saying it came from President Donald Trump’s Middle East envoy, Steve Witkoff.
The first phase of the negotiated ceasefire ended on March 1. Since then, there has been no clarity on what would come next, since the agreement’s second phase has not yet been hammered out. Hamas still holds 59 hostages, 35 of whom are believed to be dead.
Under the new plan, Hamas must release half the hostages on the first day, but there is no mention of releasing more Palestinian prisoners in exchange. The sides would then have around six weeks—through the Muslim holy month of Ramadan and the Jewish Passover holiday ending on April 20—to negotiate a permanent ceasefire and the return of the remaining hostages.
Hamas has accused Israel of trying to sabotage the existing agreement, which called for the two sides to negotiate the return of the remaining hostages in exchange for more Palestinian prisoners, a full Israeli withdrawal from Gaza, and a lasting ceasefire. But no substantive negotiations have been held.
On Sunday, Israel halted all food, fuel, medicine, and other supplies to Gaza’s population of some two million people and vowed “additional consequences” if Hamas did not agree to the new proposal.
United Nations humanitarian chief Tom Fletcher called Israel’s decision “alarming,” noting that international humanitarian law makes clear that aid access must be allowed. U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres urged all parties to make every effort to prevent a return to hostilities in Gaza.
Five non-governmental groups asked Israel’s supreme court for an interim order barring the state from preventing aid from entering Gaza, claiming the move violates Israel’s obligations under international law, which “cannot be conditioned on political considerations.”
The war has left most of Gaza’s population dependent on international aid. About 600 aid trucks have entered daily since the ceasefire began on January 19.
But Hamas warned that any attempt to delay or cancel the ceasefire agreement would have “humanitarian consequences” for the hostages.
Families of hostages again pressed Israel’s government to move towards a lasting peace deal.
“Postponing the negotiation on the deal for everyone’s [release] can’t happen, said Lishay Miran-Lavi, wife of hostage Omri Miran, in Tel Aviv. “Hostages don’t have time to wait for an ideal deal.”
Morning Star
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