‘Hell plan’ unveiled: Israel’s ceasefire strategy for Gaza
The Israel Defence Forces (IDF) have already stepped up strikes on alleged suspicious activity in Gaza in recent days.
The 42-day first phase of the hostage-ceasefire deal ended at the weekend, with no agreement in place for what happens next.
Under the original agreement, phase one would give way to phase two, which should involve the return of all living and dead hostages, further releases of Palestinian prisoners, the complete withdrawal of the IDF from Gaza and serious discussions about the enclave’s political future.
Israel has been reluctant to contemplate the latter two points, instead backing a proposal by Steve Witkoff, the US Middle East envoy, of releasing half the remaining hostages on the first day of a Ramadan-Passover extension, with the remaining half released at the end, providing that an agreement about Gaza’s future had been reached.
Hamas has rejected the plan and called for phase two to go ahead as originally outlined.
Aid agencies have sounded alarm at the decision to halt aid convoys.
Amjad Al Shawa, the director of the Palestinian NGOs Network, said: “This decision to prevent the entry of food, medicine, fuel and other shelter items – which people [are] in bad need [of] – while we are engaged on such a humanitarian response, will complicate our efforts to alleviate the suffering.”
However, Israel said on Monday that Hamas had “enough food to fuel an obesity epidemic” for its fighters.
Ariel Kellner, a Knesset member from Netanyahu’s Likud party, said: “Without this aid, they can continue to live for a very long time.
“Shutting down aid in a real way would be shutting off the electricity and water and fuel. If that doesn’t work, we will use force.”
Israel is reeling from what appeared to be a terror attack on its transport network, with one person killed and at least four wounded in a stabbing spree in Haifa on Monday.
The man who died was in his 60s and was stabbed several times in the back, while a 15-year-old boy was taken to hospital for emergency surgery.
It came after a ramming attack at a bus stop on Thursday and a series of botched bus bombings in Tel Aviv two weeks ago.
There is growing discomfort on the Israeli right that Hamas has used the ceasefire and the dying weeks of the Biden administration, when Israel was forced to allow through more aid, to build up its supplies and infrastructure.
The decision by Netanyahu’s security cabinet has been welcomed by many commentators, who also say that cutting off electricity – in particular to Gaza’s desalination plant – plus the intermittent closure of water would put the enclave into a stranglehold. Stopping the inflow of bulldozers and mobile structures has also been called for.
Ramadan, the month-long fasting festival, is seen as a provocative time to impose restrictions on the Muslim-dominated region.
However, Israeli government sources said they believe Hamas currently has no appetite for a return to war.
On Monday, it was reported that an Arab diplomat from one of the main countries involved in the negotiations said, behind the scenes, the terror group appeared willing to be more flexible.
Other sources have suggested the group might accept a two-week extension before insisting on phase two of the ceasefire beginning.
Arab countries are reportedly nearing an agreement on an alternative plan for Gaza to that of Donald Trump, the US President, who wants to remove the enclave’s population and turn it into a resort.
The Arab scheme would sideline Hamas and replace it with interim bodies controlled by both Arab, Muslim and Western states, it has been reported.
Reuters reported that an Egyptian-led vision for Gaza will be presented at an Arab League summit on Tuesday.
Hamas has previously rejected any idea of a future for the enclave being imposed on Palestinians by outside states.
