Brussels – The fragile truce signed in mid-January between Israel and Hamas has lasted 42 days. As the first of three planned phases expired, the agreement broke down on Saturday night and yesterday (March 2) Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu again announced the blockade of humanitarian aid to Gaza. While the United Nations and humanitarian organizations on the ground are sounding “alarm” over the consequences of Tel Aviv’s decision on nearly two million civilians, the EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs, Kaja Kallas, blames the Palestinian armed group entirely.
The EU “condemns Hamas’ refusal to accept the extension of the first phase of the Gaza ceasefire agreement. Israel’s subsequent decision to block all humanitarian aid from entering Gaza could potentially have humanitarian consequences,” says Kallas spokesman Anouar el Anouni. In this first six-week phase, along with the release of a portion of Israeli hostages by Hamas in exchange for the release of hundreds of Palestinian prisoners from Israeli jails, Tel Aviv has ensured the entry into the enclave of an increased flow of humanitarian aid, which is needed to assist a population that has been denied even basic needs for several stretches of the conflict.
Last January 15‘s agreement then envisaged moving to a second phase in which Hamas was to conclude the release of all remaining hostages and Israeli troops the complete withdrawal from the Gaza Strip. But the details of this delicate phase, Doha had been told, could be subject to further negotiations during the first phase. In recent weeks, in the face of the provocations of the new U.S. administration, the intensification of Israeli military operations in the West Bank and a number of incidents of potential attacks in Israeli cities, negotiations have foundered.
In essence, Tel Aviv supported a plan put forward by Trump-appointed U.S. Special Envoy Steve Witkoff to extend the first phase of the ceasefire until the end of Ramadan and Passover, and thus continue releasing Israeli hostages but without proceeding to withdraw its army from Gaza. A draft new agreement that Hamas instead declined. Tel Aviv denies that it has violated the terms of the January agreement, which provided precisely for further negotiations and even that Israel could return to fighting after the 42nd day “if it has the impression that the negotiations have been ineffective.”
According to Euro-Med Human Rights Monitor, a Geneva-based NGO, during the six-week truce the Israeli army killed at least 115 civilians in Gaza. Netanyahu, however, accused Hamas of “repeatedly” violating the terms of the ceasefire, particularly over the timing and manner of the October 7 hostage release. Netanyahu said at the ministers’ council meeting to discuss the new developments, “There will be no more free lunches. If Hamas thinks that it will be possible to continue the ceasefire or benefit from the terms of the first phase without us receiving hostages, they are very wrong.”
A Palestinian family prepares breakfast before the Ramadan-imposed fast at the Bureij refugee camp in the Gaza Strip, 1/3/25 (Photo by Eyad BABA / AFP)
In a note, the premier’s cabinet clarified that Israel “will cease all entry of goods and supplies into the Gaza Strip.” Earlier in the day, Netanyahu spokesman Omer Dostri confirmed, “No trucks entered Gaza this morning, nor will they do so at this stage.” This is one of the charges with which the International Criminal Court has already issued an arrest warrant against the Israeli premier and former Defense Minister, Noav Gallant: the two are already held responsible for starving the Palestinian civilian population as a method of warfare, intentionally causing “great suffering, serious bodily or health injuries or cruel treatment,” and “intentionally directing attacks against a civilian population.”
Egypt and Qatar, which along with the United States are the main mediators between the Netanyahu government and Hamas, accused Israel of violating the agreement reached painstakingly in January. The Cairo Foreign Ministry said Israel uses hunger “as a weapon against the Palestinian people,” while Doha added, “Qatar strongly condemns the Israeli occupation government’s decision to stop sending humanitarian aid to the Gaza Strip and considers it a blatant violation of the ceasefire agreement (and) international humanitarian law.”
UN Secretary General António Guterres called for “humanitarian aid to return to Gaza immediately,” while UN Office of Humanitarian Affairs Under-Secretary Tom Fletcher described the move as “alarming.” In the face of Netanyahu’s blatant violation of humanitarian law—leaving aside compliance with the terms of the cease-fire on both sides—the note from the head of European diplomacy appears at least weak, if not condescending to Tel Aviv. In addition to condemning Hamas for not accepting the extension of the first phase, the EU “reiterates its demand for full, rapid, safe, and unimpeded access to large-scale humanitarian aid for Palestinians in need.” However, there is no mention of the extreme gravity of the decision taken as retaliation against an entire civilian population by an allied democratic government.
English version by the Translation Service of Withub
