Israeli foreign minister blames Hamas for ceasefire standoff
Saar says the truce could not progress because Hamas has rejected “the proposed framework”, seemingly referring to a ceasefire extension of phase one that lacks an Israeli commitment to end the war on Gaza.
“We fulfilled our commitments until the very last day,” Saar said in comments carried by the Reuters news agency.
As previously reported, Israeli forces carried out numerous attacks in Gaza during the ceasefire, violating its terms.
Saar also asserted Israel is within its rights to halt the flow of aid into Gaza because its commitment to facilitating aid was limited to the first stage of the ceasefire, which has now ended.
Israel is ready to move to the second stage of the ceasefire, but “not for free”, he added.
Gaza aid block a move ‘in the right direction’: Israeli minister
Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, leader of a far-right party crucial to keeping the government in power, welcomed the decision to suspend humanitarian aid to Gaza.
Smotrich also called for renewed fighting “until total victory” against Hamas.
“The decision … to completely stop the entry of humanitarian aid into Gaza until Hamas is destroyed or completely surrenders and all our hostages are freed is an important step in the right direction,” he wrote on Telegram.
Israel’s military should “open [the] gates [of hell] as quickly and violently as possible against the merciless enemy until total victory”.
Israel considers calling up 400,000 reservists for ‘year of war'
Israeli media are quoting unnamed “informed sources”, which usually means somebody close to the Prime Minister’s Office, that these decisions, including halting humanitarian aid, are done in coordination with the Trump administration.
Let’s remember, this administration has fast-tracked $12bn worth of military assistance to Israel since taking office. The announcement is being warmly welcomed by ministers in the Israeli government who are key to holding the coalition together.
In the meantime, the opposition is speaking out and accusing Netanyahu of basically exchanging the lives and safety of Israeli captives for his own political calculus.
We’re also monitoring reports of Israelis taking to the streets, going to the homes of Israeli ministers to protest this measure, because they believe it puts the lives of Israeli captives in peril. It’s unlikely – given the fact the Israeli government feels emboldened by American support – that we’re going to see a reversal.
We’re hearing the Israeli government is considering calling up 400,000 Israeli reservists to the army because, according to those reports, 2025 is going to be a year of war.
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