JERUSALEM, Israel – Israel has halted humanitarian aid into Gaza, citing Hamas' diversion of supplies for military use. This move comes as Hamas continues to reject a U.S.-backed ceasefire plan that would have freed hostages in two phases.
U.S. Middle East Envoy Steve Witkoff has put forth a plan that would extend the ceasefire in Gaza another few weeks and free the rest of the hostages over time. Israel has signed on, but not Hamas.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced, “In Witkoff’s plan, half of the hostages would be released right away and the remaining half would be released if we reach an agreement on a permanent ceasefire. Again, Israel has accepted this plan. I accepted this plan. But so far, Hamas has rejected it.”
As a result, Israel is cutting off all aid and goods going into Gaza. Israeli officials charge that during the ceasefire, more than 21,000 aid trucks entered the Gaza Strip – enough to last four to six months if Hamas distributes the supplies fairly.
However, with Hamas controlling the flow of resources, Israel claims it can no longer risk sustaining what it calls a "terror machine."
“We've done that because Hamas steals the supplies and prevents the people of Gaza from getting them," the prime minister explained. "It uses these supplies to finance its terror machine, which is aimed directly at Israel and our civilians – and this we cannot accept."
Beyond this aid cut-off, if Hamas doesn't start to compromise, Israel is planning to go to an all-out war to wipe out Hamas in Gaza and has authorized the mobilization of up to 400,000 reservists through May 2025.
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Leading Israeli conservatives cheered Netanyahu's new, tougher stance.
Former National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir posted on X, "This should be the policy until the last hostage is returned. Now is the time to open the gates of hell, cut off electricity and water, return to war."
Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich added, "Now we need to open those gates as quickly and lethally as possible on the cruel enemy, until absolute victory."
Communications Minister Shlomo Karhi declared, "All the hostages must come home immediately. Otherwise, fire and brimstone on the despicable terrorists, without mercy."
To aid Israel in its fight against Hamas and all the other proxies of the ultimate enemy, Iran, the Trump administration is quickening $4 billion worth of military sales to Israel.
In expediting these sales, Secretary of State Marco Rubio indicated he's reversing moves by the Biden administration to slow walk weapons deliveries to Israel, "at a time when our close ally was fighting a war of survival on multiple fronts against Iran and terror proxies."
Recently-freed hostage Eli Sharabi has been speaking out on the atrocities Hamas has been committing against their captives.
In an Israeli television interview, the host asked, "What do you eat?"
Sharabi replied, "In the worst times you eat once a day a bowl of pasta."
The host followed up, asking, "And that’s all the food you get for the day?"
Sharabi said, "It is about 250 to 300 calories." Host: "A day?" Sharabi: "A day. Which is a tenth of what I need."
After seeing that, President Trump invited Sharabi and other freed hostages to meet with him at the White House on Tuesday.
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