At least four Palestinians were killed by Israeli attacks in Gaza on Sunday
March 2, 2025
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced on Sunday that Israel was imposing a total siege on the Gaza Strip, blocking all goods from entering, including humanitarian aid, as the Israeli military ramped up attacks on the territory, killing at least four Palestinians.
Netanyahu’s announcement came a day after the first phase of the Gaza hostage and ceasefire deal expired, and no agreement has been reached on the second phase. Under the deal, negotiations for the second phase were supposed to start on February 3, but Israel refused to engage in those talks and is now demanding that Hamas accept a last-minute proposal that Israel said was put forward by President Trump’s Middle East envoy, Steve Witkoff.
The US proposal would involve another 42-day ceasefire and the immediate release of half of the Israel hostages in Gaza. The proposal doesn’t include a full Israeli withdrawal or permanent ceasefire, which were conditions of phase two.
“Upon the conclusion of the first stage, and in light of Hamas’s rejection of the Witkoff framework, we decided– at last night’s discussion — that as of this morning, the entry of goods and supplies into Gaza will be prevented,” Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office said in a statement.
“If Hamas continues to stick to its position and does not release our hostages, there will be additional consequences, which I will not detail here,” the statement added.
In response, Hamas said Israel’s move was a violation of the ceasefire deal. “The statement issued by the office of the terrorist occupation Prime Minister Netanyahu, regarding his approval of American proposals to extend the first phase of the agreement under arrangements that violate the ceasefire agreement in Gaza is a blatant attempt to evade the agreement and avoid entering negotiations for its second phase,” Hamas said.
“Netanyahu’s decision to halt humanitarian aid is a form of blackmail, a war crime, and a blatant violation of the agreement,” the Hamas statement added.
Later on Sunday, a Hamas official said the group wouldn’t agree to an extension of the first phase of the ceasefire and called for the implementation of the second phase under the terms of the original deal.
The US has backed Israel’s decision to cut off aid to the civilian population of Gaza, a move that came after the US State Department announced it was expediting the delivery of $4 billion in military aid to Israel.
White House National Security Council spokesman Brian Hughes told Axios reporter Barak Ravid that the US will “support [Israel’s] decision on next steps given Hamas has indicated it’s no longer interested in a negotiated ceasefire.” He also claimed that Israel had been negotiating in “good faith” despite Israel’s refusal to enter talks on the second phase and constant violations of the ceasefire since it went into effect on January 19.
According to the Palestinian news agency WAFA, Israel attacks hit targets across Gaza on Sunday, killing two Palestinians in the northern city of Beit Hanoun. A woman was killed by Israeli forces near the southern city of Khan Younis, and another Palestinian was killed in Rafah.
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