Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty urged all parties to fulfill their obligations and respect the terms of the agreement that came into effect on 19 January. Although the first phase expired recently without agreement on proceeding to the second phase, Abdelatty emphasized that each party must now follow through on their obligations.

The first phase, which introduced a significant increase in humanitarian aid after months of rising hunger, ended on Saturday. The second phase, pending negotiations, would involve Hamas releasing remaining hostages in exchange for an Israeli withdrawal from Gaza and a permanent ceasefire.

Israel claims that a new US proposal suggests extending the first phase through Ramadan and Passover, potentially lasting until 20 April, with an immediate release of half the hostages held by Hamas and the release of the rest contingent on a permanent ceasefire agreement.

Hamas accused Israel of attempting to undermine the ceasefire and cut off aid, labeling it as “cheap extortion, a war crime, and a blatant attack” on the truce. The group asserts it has presented Israel with a proposal to commence the second phase, fulfilling its own obligations and accusing Israel of seeking to sabotage the truce.

Netanyahu stated that Hamas’s proposed conditions for a permanent ceasefire are “totally unjustifiable.” He also claimed that the decision to restrict goods and aid from entering Gaza resulted from Hamas’s theft of resources intended for civilians, which were used to finance its terrorism efforts targeting Israel.

Organizations like the UN and the International Committee of the Red Cross have condemned Israel’s decision, emphasizing the government’s blatant disregard for international humanitarian laws. UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres called for all parties to work towards preventing the resumption of hostilities in Gaza, urged the immediate restoration of aid to the enclave, and demanded the release of all hostages.

The conflict in Gaza has resulted in over 48,000 recorded Palestinian deaths, according to the Gaza Health Ministry, with more than half of these fatalities being women and children. The Israeli bombardment has severely damaged much of Gaza’s infrastructure, with the UN estimating that around 60% of the strip’s buildings have been destroyed in the attacks.