Ceasefire in limbo

[Whatsinanamehey]

Israel have refused to move to the second phase of the ceasefire deal and have instead asked for the first phase to be extended. Hamas has refused this request and has insisted that Israel moves to phase two as originally agreed.

In retaliation, Israel has now said they will block all humanitarian aid into Gaza. What happens next? Both for the hostages who need releasing ASAP, and for the ordinary Palestinians including children whose suffering will only increase by this blockage.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c9q4w99je78o

Trump was absolutely raging when Netanyahu congratulated Biden the day after the election and we know what a petty man Trump is and how big his ego is.

More importantly, US support for Israel is rapidly decreasing especially in the under 40s. More Americans are tired of being the World's police whilst prices rise domestically and their infrastructure is failing. They want no more foreign aid and were extremely happy with Trump telling Zelensky off but are openly asking the question of why Israel must be the exception.

There hasn't been any progress towards the second phase by the Israeli side yet who are still insisting on changing the initial agreement.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/ckgz7p85mdgo

As well as cutting off aid, Netanyahu has also threatened to resume war again.

https://www.thejournal.ie/hamas-claims-israel-sought-to-collapse-gaza-truce-deal-6638373-Mar2025/

But if Israel continued on to phase 2 as originally planned all the hostages would have been released. They have no intention of ever leaving the Gaza Strip. Must be taking lessons off Trump in the art of sticking to an agreement.

There were clashes today between families of 7-oct victims and the police (I think) from the parliament as they wanted to access the chamber and they were refused

———

Father of hostage still in Gaza accuses Netanyahu of ‘stalling’ Hamas deal
Yehuda Cohen says Israeli prime minister is refusing permanent ceasefire because ‘he wants to stay in power’

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2025/mar/03/father-of-hostage-still-in-gaza-accuses-netanyahu-of-stalling-hamas-deal

There were signs of this as back on 11 Feb, Israel was violating Phase I of the ceasefire:

• Israel still killing people in Gaza
• Aid below agreed on levels: by 11 Feb only 8,500 trucks of food and basic aid items allowed into Gaza, when according to the ceasefire terms, it should have been 12,000 trucks.
• Shelter: 200,000 tents are stipulated in the first phase, but only 10 percent have been allowed in so far – 11 Feb was halfway through the first phase – and 0 of the promised 60,000 mobile homes.
• Medical Evacuations of civilians- 50/day of sick or injured people were supposed to be allowed out of Gaza with family members accompanying them – that should have been 1,000 people by 11 Feb, but only 120 patients had been allowed to leave.

Israel fell far short of upholding their commitments for Phase I
11 Feb is also when the negotiations for Phase II details were meant to start and Israel refused to attend them.

They waited until the day before Phase I expired and then went to the mediators with new major terms contrary to the terms already agreed on for Phase II, for example: reneging on the agreement to withdraw militarily from Gaza and the Philadelphi Corridor (the IDF presence there is a violation of an Egypt-Israel treaty), also reneging on the agreement that Rafah crossing would be reopened and demanding it be permanently closed off.

Oh that’s terrible about the patients in particular. When it comes to cases like this I just can’t see why Israel won’t let them leave - is it a lack of will to put the resources in to security check everyone or deliberate cruelty

No - sure he never even pretended that he was going to enter phase 2 really, not in that White House meeting.

Stopping aid is obviously completely immoral and against international law but even from a cold strategic point of view, it makes no sense as it pushes the gazan’s unto the arms of Hamas basically. Either you join or your family starves.

I don’t think that this government actually want a strong Hamas. They were propping them up before and I’m starting to think it still suits them - it’s an excuse to starve people/deport them.

It is hard to speculate on all the possible motivations for the decisions made by government leaders. All I can do is critique what they say and do or fail to say and fail to do.

I’ve just read on MSN that Israel is cutting off the power supply again, which has a knock on effect of depriving civilians of water. No shelter, no food, no medical supplies, no power and now no water. How long will our government sit on its hands for fear of upsetting the orange man?

”The Deir al-Balah Municipality announced that the South Sea Desalination Plant and the Basra Desalination Plant ceased operations after the Israeli occupation forces cut off electricity.

In response to Israel's measures, Germany's Foreign Ministry on Monday demanded that Israeli occupation forces immediately allow the resumption of aid into the Gaza Strip.
The shutdown has led to a complete halt in desalinated water production, which is crucial for the area.
The two plants supply approximately 20,000 cubic meters of desalinated water daily, serving 70% of the population in Deir al-Balah. With their closure, residents face a severe water crisis, exacerbating an already dire situation.
The municipality has called on the international community and humanitarian organisations to act swiftly to prevent a disaster that threatens the lives of Gazans.
Germany's Foreign Ministry spokesperson Sebastian Fischer stated that halting aid entry as a form of pressure during negotiations over a ceasefire agreement is unjustifiable.
Fischer emphasised that the International Court of Justice (ICJ) has consistently underscored the importance of ensuring the unobstructed flow of essential aid.”
https://www.msn.com/en-ae/news/other/israel-cuts-power-to-two-desalination-plants-in-gaza-germany-calls-for-resumption-of-aid/ar-AA1A9yfs

War crime after war crime after war crime. Shame on Israel!!!

That's fucking barbaric. The orange clown doesn't give a shit about the Palestinians, Netanyahu we all know doesn't either but seems he doesn't give a shit about how this will affect the hostages either.

It certainly shows a complete disregard for all innocent lives in Gaza- the hostages, civilian men & women and children. Almost half the population are children, despite the +17,000 killed by munitions and uncounted dead from malnutrition/disease over the past 18mos

It's complete disregard for international law, too! Also, it's ridiculous how people still argue that Israel isn't occupying Gaza when Israel can cut off aid, electricity and water at will.

Trump has emboldened them. They aren’t even trying to hide the fact that they are breaking international law now.

I really think these are going to be dark time for humanity now.

Yes, Trump has emboldened them. In a space of a week the Trump administration has given Israel the green light to with hold all aid into Gaza, knowing that civilians including children will bear the brunt (not even starting that it's clearly breaking international humanitarian law) and have now with held aid to Ukraine. Let this be a lesson for Netanyahu, he turned on Ukraine and he can turn on you too. Netanyahu is far too smug and arrogant to see it though.

Hamas says Trump’s threats encourage Israel to back out of Gaza ceasefire
Militant group accuses the US president of seeking to undermine deal with his ultimatum for release of hostages

Hamas accused Trump and Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu of trying to back out of the ceasefire agreement they reached in January. The agreement calls for negotiations over a second phase in which the hostages would be released in exchange for more Palestinian prisoners and detainees, a permanent ceasefire and an Israeli withdrawal from Gaza.

Hamas spokesperson Abdel-Latif al-Qanoua told the AP that the “best path to free the remaining Israeli hostages” is through negotiations on that phase, which were supposed to begin in early February. Only limited preparatory talks have been held so far.

—- from
the guardian

Haaretz
Excerpts from
If Gaza War Resumes, the Fate of Remaining Israeli Hostages Will Be Death by IDF

This time there isn't even a semblance of factual debate over who is to blame for sabotaging the agreement. This time it's clear to all that it isn't Hamas. The Israeli government headed by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu openly violated the agreement with Hamas.

According to the deal, Israel agreed to begin negotiations for the second stage on the 16th day of the cease–fire. It did not. Nor did it do so at the end of the 42nd day of the deal's first stage.

According to the agreement, which was approved by the cabinet, Israel was meant to withdraw from the Philadelphi corridor. So it was agreed. So it was approved. Israel has openly violated this clause as well. It was so out in the open that there's hardly any public debate over it.

Is it possible that because we're so busy deciphering Netanyahu's hidden intentions that we're losing the motivation to discuss his most open moves?

^The Israeli government violated the agreement that can bring all the hostages home. There are 24 living hostages being held in Hamas tunnels who can be brought back alive. And there are also 35 bodies that can be brought back for burial in Israel. And a piece of paper that resolves their return. But Israel has reneged on its commitment. It is breaking the agreement that can bring them back

and,

It's important to say out loud that Israel broke the agreement. We must not accept the position of internal censorship, according to which pointing out that Israel has violated the agreement means echoing Hamas' position. It is also what the hostages' families are crying out. Are they also echoing Hamas' position? Anyone interested in saving the hostages must loudly call on the government to uphold the agreement.

Because there's one thing we mustn't lie to ourselves about: resuming the war – certainly in the intensity they intend to – would mean using the Hannibal Directiveon the remaining hostages.

A bit of good news today. Standing up to Trump
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c0rz0jvvpwwo

“Leading European nations have said they support an Arab-backed plan for the reconstruction of Gaza that would cost $53 billion (£41 billion) and avoid displacing Palestinians from the territory.
The plan, drawn up by Egypt and endorsed by Arab leaders, has been rejected by Israel and by US President Donald Trump, who presented his own vision to turn the Gaza Strip into a "Middle East Riviera".
On Saturday the foreign ministers of France, Germany, Italy and Britain welcomed the plan, which calls for Gaza to be rebuilt over five years, as "realistic".
In a statement, they said the proposal promised "swift and sustainable improvement of the catastrophic living conditions" for the people of Gaza.
The plan calls for Gaza to be governed temporarily by a committee of independent experts and for international peacekeepers to be deployed to the territory.
The committee would be responsible for overseeing humanitarian aid and temporarily managing Gaza's affairs under the supervision of the Palestinian Authority.
The proposal is an alternative to Trump's idea for the US to take over Gaza and resettle its population.
It was welcomed by the Palestinian Authority and Hamas after it was presented by Egypt at an emergency Arab League summit on Tuesday.”

I look forward to seeing some Qatari dwelling billionaires contributing to fixing the desolation they enabled.

Israel have now cut off electricity to Gaza

Israel also fuming that US have been laising a deal with Hamas behind their backs. The US envoy even called some of the Hamas members they were liasing with 'nice guys'.

https://www.timesofisrael.com/liveblog_entry/deal-with-nice-guys-from-hamas-possible-within-weeks-us-envoy-boehler-says/

"US hostage envoy Adam Boehler defends his direct talks with Hamas terror group officials, whom he twice calls “pretty nice guys,” amid private but intense criticism from Jerusalem, saying, “We’re the United States. We’re not an agent of Israel.”

Netanyahu cutting off electricity right now seems like a deliberate move to sabotage the ceasefire and hostage talks between the US and Hamas.

The last thing Israel wants is a permanent ceasefire. They are happy to sacrifice any remaining hostages, no wonder the families are so angry.