Israel Halts Aid to Gaza and Proposes New Cease-Fire Framework

Israel announced on Sunday that it was immediately halting the entry of all goods and humanitarian assistance into Gaza, trying to force Hamas into accepting a temporary extension of the cease-fire in the war.

The move disrupts the existing, agreed-upon framework for negotiating a permanent end to the war and puts the fate of the hostages into uncharted territory. The draconian halt on goods and aid, including fuel, is also likely to worsen conditions for the roughly two million inhabitants of Gaza after the 15-month war left much of the coastal enclave in ruins.

The initial six-week phase of the original deal between Israel and Hamas expired on Saturday. Though it was punctured by setbacks and mutual accusations of violations, it ultimately saw a temporary cessation in the fighting and the exchange of 25 living Israeli hostages and the remains of eight dead ones for about 1,500 Palestinian prisoners and detainees. That deal also allowed for a significant increase of aid into Gaza.

The next phase of the agreement called for a full withdrawal of Israeli troops from Gaza and a commitment to a permanent cease-fire in return for the release of all the remaining living hostages in Gaza, who are being held in inhumane conditions, according to reports from hostages who have been freed.

Instead, hours before it announced the aid stoppage, Israel proposed a seven-week extension of the temporary cease-fire, during which Hamas would have to release half the remaining living hostages as well as the remains of half the deceased ones. Upon conclusion of that extension, if agreement on a permanent cease-fire occurred, all the remaining hostages would have to be released, the office of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said.

“Israel will not allow a cease-fire without the release of our hostages,” Mr. Netanyahu’s office said in a statement on Sunday. “If Hamas continues its refusal, there will be further consequences,” it added.