Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu presses for Gaza ceasefire extension

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stated that Hamas can no longer enjoy a "free lunch" in the Gaza Strip, attempting to pressure Hamas to accept an extension of the ceasefire agreement in Gaza. This came hours after his office announced a complete ban on the entry of aid into the war-torn Gaza Strip, as the majority of its population welcomed the start of the Muslim holy month of Ramadan.

Netanyahu said this was a consequence of Hamas rejecting a U.S. proposal to extend the temporary truce until mid-April, which aimed to secure the release of more Israeli hostages. However, Hamas insisted that the proposal was merely a means for Israel to avoid addressing more difficult issues concerning the future of Gaza and the complete withdrawal of Israeli forces, and maintained that the focus should be on the second phase of the ceasefire agreement.

“If Hamas changes its position, Israel will immediately enter negotiations to implement the plan," Netanyahu said at the start of a cabinet meeting in Jerusalem. "I want to make it clear again: There will be no free lunch. If Hamas thinks it can continue the ceasefire without agreeing to release the hostages, or enjoy the conditions of the first phase, it is sorely mistaken." Hamas stated that preventing aid from entering Gaza constitutes a "war crime" and is "cheap blackmail" by the Israeli Prime Minister.

In a statement, Hamas said, "We reaffirm our commitment to implementing the three phases of the signed agreement, and we have stated many times that we are ready to begin negotiations on the second phase of the agreement. War criminal Netanyahu and his extremist government bear full responsibility for disrupting the progress of the agreement, or any foolish act he may commit to overturn the agreement, including the humanitarian consequences related to the occupied prisoners in the Gaza Strip." Local residents in Gaza told the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) that food prices in markets across Gaza have doubled due to the aid blockade.

The first phase of the ceasefire agreement began on January 19 and expired on Sunday. During this period, Hamas returned 33 hostages, including the remains of eight Israelis who died in captivity. Aid deliveries to Gaza increased significantly, with 4,200 trucks entering the Gaza Strip each week. The second phase of the agreement would be more complex, focusing not only on a lasting peace in the Gaza Strip but also on its continued governance and the complete withdrawal of Israeli forces from the territory.

These negotiations were originally supposed to begin in early February but have been repeatedly delayed and undermined, which Hamas blames entirely on Israel. Another 59 hostages remain in Gaza, with Israeli authorities believing that 35 of them are already dead. Israel is insisting on a proposal it believes was put forward by Steve Witkoff, former U.S. President Donald Trump's special envoy for Middle East issues. According to the Witkoff plan, the first phase of the ceasefire agreement would be extended through the Muslim holy month of Ramadan (February 28 to March 29) and the Jewish Passover holiday (April 12 to April 19). If implemented, half of the remaining Israeli hostages would be released on the first day of the agreement. The remaining hostages would be released once a permanent ceasefire agreement is reached.

Aaron David Miller, a former Middle East analyst at the U.S. State Department and current senior fellow at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, told ABC that the ceasefire extension proposal unsurprisingly "heavily favors the Israelis." He believes this shows a "meeting of the minds" between Trump and Netanyahu. He said, "I think the Trump administration, in its initial five weeks, is pursuing a policy that is inherently very pro-Israeli – even beyond what the Biden administration has done in the last year and a half. I think this allows Israel to keep all options on the table, including a resumption of hostilities, which will occur in a more aggressive form if diplomacy breaks down. You didn't hear the Trump administration complaining about Israel's decision to block humanitarian aid to Gaza."

Dr. Miller added that the reasons for Hamas's lack of support for the proposal are clear, although he noted that Hamas might agree, depending on how much the situation in Gaza deteriorates. He said, "In terms of hostages, it's front-loaded – Israel would get 10 living hostages, mainly male soldiers, and the remains of half of those who have unfortunately died, if the deal goes through. And there doesn't seem to be, in any of the public reporting I've seen, any reciprocal Israeli commitments – the number of Palestinian prisoners, guarantees of humanitarian assistance, and any commitment to an Israeli withdrawal."

Far-right members of Netanyahu's government viewed the aid announcement as a step toward opening the "gates of hell" in Gaza – a threat that has been made to Hamas repeatedly if Israeli hostages are not released. This includes the controversial Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, who said the decision did not go far enough. He posted on social media platform X: "Now you have to open these gates to the cruel enemy as quickly and lethally as possible until complete victory."

As the ban took effect, aid trucks lined up at the Rafah crossing between Egypt and Gaza on Sunday. Israeli media reported that the Israeli government believes the aid delivered over the past six weeks is sufficient to support the Palestinian people for five months. ABC has requested such estimates from the Israeli Prime Minister's Office and COGAT, the agency responsible for coordinating aid access to Gaza – but has not received a response.

The International Committee of the Red Cross, which is responsible for transferring released hostages from Hamas to Israeli authorities, has also joined in criticizing the aid ban. "Any unraveling of the progress achieved over the last six weeks could plunge people back into despair," said Mirjana Spoljaric, President of the ICRC, in a statement. "Every effort must be made to sustain the ceasefire so that lives are spared from hostilities, humanitarian assistance can reach Gaza, and more families can be reunited."

The Palestinian Authority in the West Bank said the decision carried "grave risks and catastrophic consequences, especially in light of the dire humanitarian situation in Gaza, which is further exacerbated during Ramadan." The Palestinian Authority's Foreign Ministry said in a statement: "The Ministry explicitly rejects the politicization of humanitarian aid and its use as a tool of blackmail, a tactic that only deepens the suffering of more than 2 million Palestinians who have already suffered immensely from a campaign of destruction and forced displacement. The Ministry calls on the international community and all relevant parties to fulfill their responsibilities and take decisive action to compel the Israeli government to allow unconditional humanitarian aid to enter Gaza. It further demands an end to the exploitation of the suffering of the Palestinian people and the weaponization of hunger for political gain."