Israel stops entry of all aid, supplies to Gaza Strip as ceasefire expires

Aid is dropped off on the Gaza side of the border, where it is picked up by the U.N. and distributed.

Israel on March 2 said it is stopping the entry of all goods and supplies into the Gaza Strip as  first phase of the Israel-Hamas ceasefire expired yesterday.

The first phase of the Israel-Hamas ceasefire, which included a surge in humanitarian assistance, expired on Saturday.

The two sides have yet to negotiate the second phase, in which Hamas was to release dozens of remaining hostages in return for an Israeli pullout and a lasting ceasefire.

The prime minister's office did not elaborate on the decision but warned of “additional consequences” if Hamas does not accept what Israel says is a US proposal for an extension of the ceasefire.

Israel said earlier on Sunday that it supports a proposal to extend the first phase of the ceasefire through Ramadan and Passover, or April 20. It said the proposal came from the Trump administration's Mideast envoy, Steve Witkoff.

Under that proposal, Hamas would release half the hostages on the first day and the rest when an agreement is reached on a permanent ceasefire, according to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office.

915 aid trucks entered the Gaza Strip on second day of a ceasefire between Israel and Palestinian militants Hamas after 15 months of war.

Data from the U.N. Palestinian relief agency UNRWA showed 2,892 aid trucks entered Gaza in December. Aid is dropped off on the Gaza side of the border, where it is picked up by the U.N. and distributed.

But gangs and looters have made that hard. Data from OCHA shows 2,230 aid truckloads – an average of 72 a day – were picked up in December, while between Jan. 1-5 it was a daily average of 51.

Israel says Hamas killed some 1,200 people in the Oct. 7, 2023 attack that triggered the war and the Gaza health ministry says more than 47,000 Palestinians have been killed in the conflict.

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