Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu clarified on Sunday evening that entry of humanitarian aid into Gaza will only continue when Hamas stops its “massive bombings” and continues to release slain hostages, following what an Israeli source described to The Jerusalem Post as pressure exerted by the United States.
Earlier on Sunday, Netanyahu decided to pause the entry of humanitarian aid and close all crossings into the Gaza Strip following violations of the ceasefire agreement by Hamas, which included an incident in Rafah in which two IDF soldiers were killed.
In addition, Israel will not allow pedestrian movement into or out of Gaza through the Rafah Crossing, Netanyahu initially said. The decision came alongside a new wave of Israeli airstrikes in Gaza – the most extensive since the agreement to release hostages in exchange for a ceasefire and a partial Israeli withdrawal.
On Sunday evening, Netanyahu held a meeting with Defense Minister Israel Katz, Strategic Affairs Minister Ron Dermer, IDF Chief of Staff Eyal Zamir, and senior defense officials. An Israeli official told the Post, “Hamas violated the ceasefire, not us. Israel wants to maintain the ceasefire and uphold the agreement, but not at any cost. We will respond to every violation.”
Later on Sunday evening, the Prime Minister’s Office noted Israel stopped aid convoys from entering Gaza “today due to massive bombings and dozens killed on Hamas’s side. The Rafah crossing will only open when “we see Hamas continue to release hostage remains at a reasonable pace,” Netanyahu’s office stated. One Israeli official told the Post that the PMO’s clarification came amid heavy US pressure.
The entry of humanitarian aid trucks will resume when the “bombings conclude,” the PMO added.
National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir called on Netanyahu to “order the IDF to fully resume fighting in the Gaza Strip at full strength” shortly after reports of the Israeli strike in Rafah surfaced. “The Nazi terrorist organization must be completely destroyed – and preferably as soon as possible.”
In a post to X/Twitter on Sunday, Ben-Gvir congratulated Netanyahu’s decision to halt aid to the Gaza Strip, stating that “this aid should not be renewed, the war yes - and as soon as possible.”
In addition, Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich simply posted “War!” on X.
US warns of imminent Hamas ceasefire violation
The US administration has urged Israel to exercise restraint in its response to avoid the collapse of the ceasefire, an Israeli official told the Post. Further, as a result of US pressure, Israel’s eventual reaction was significantly more moderate than some of the options discussed in Sunday’s deliberations.
US envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner are expected to arrive in Israel on Monday in an effort to preserve the ceasefire and advance the second phase of the Trump Plan.
On Tuesday, US Vice President JD Vance is scheduled to visit Israel. The US administration continues its discussions with European and Arab countries about the continuation of the Trump Plan and aims to deploy Arab forces in Gaza as soon as possible to prevent a power vacuum that could enable Hamas to regain strength.
The US administration also issued a statement warning Hamas against killing Palestinians who oppose its rule, threatening consequences if such attacks continue. “We have received information that the organization plans to launch assaults against Palestinian civilians. This would constitute a serious violation of the agreement, and steps will be taken to protect the residents of Gaza,” the US State Department said in a statement, following the release of Hamas videos showing the execution of anti-Hamas activists and clan members who aided Israel during the war.