Israel & Gaza: Dealmaking Stalled

Israel blocked the entry of all humanitarian aid into the Gaza Strip over the weekend as it called for Hamas to agree to a US-proposed ceasefire extension, escalating tensions as negotiations for a second phase of the truce have stalled, the BBC reported.

The first phase of the ceasefire – which began on Jan. 19 and expired on Saturday – ended 15 months of conflict in Gaza that began on Oct. 7, 2023, when Hamas and its allies launched a surprise attack in southern Israel that killed around 1,200 people and saw more than 250 taken hostage.

Israel’s response devastated the Palestinian enclave and killed more than 48,000 Palestinians, according to Gazan health officials.

The first part of the three-phase ceasefire deal saw the release of 33 Israeli hostages in exchange for nearly 2,000 Palestinian prisoners and detainees. The ceasefire plan – originally mediated by Egypt, Qatar, and the United States – is intended to lead to a permanent cessation of hostilities and the withdrawal of Israeli forces from Gaza.

But over the weekend, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office said that Hamas rejected a proposal by US envoy Steve Witkoff for a six-week extension of the truce through the Muslim holy month of Ramadan and Jewish Passover. That would have started with the release of half of the remaining hostages, both living and dead.

Netanyahu’s office announced Sunday that no further aid would enter Gaza until Hamas agrees to the proposal.

Hamas officials condemned the aid suspension as “cheap blackmail” and called on mediators to intervene. While aid organizations confirmed that thousands of supply trucks had entered Gaza throughout the ceasefire period, they warned that an extended blockade could severely impact civilians, CBS News noted.

Egyptian officials have urged all parties to abide by the original ceasefire framework, while the World Food Programme stressed the need to continue providing humanitarian assistance.

Hamas has maintained that it will not agree to an extension of the ceasefire’s first phase without guarantees that the second phase –which includes further hostage exchanges and the withdrawal of Israeli military forces – will take place.

Negotiations on phase two were scheduled to begin in early February but have seen little progress.

The ceasefire talks are further complicated by broader questions of governance. Hamas has reiterated its willingness to cede political control of Gaza to a Palestinian unity government or an independent technocratic administration, provided it does not involve exile for its leadership, NBC News added.

However, the Iran-backed group remains unwilling to disarm unless an independent Palestinian state is established, a condition Netanyahu and his government have firmly rejected. Israeli officials have insisted that Hamas must not play a role in Gaza’s future governance.

Meanwhile, Israel has signaled its willingness to return to military operations if negotiations remain deadlocked. Hamas, in turn, has warned that it is prepared for renewed fighting if necessary.