Israel backs down from halting aid to Gaza under US pressure

The Israeli media reported on Sunday evening that Israel has reversed its decision to halt the entry of humanitarian aid into the Gaza Strip, following US pressure.

Israel promised Washington that it would reopen the crossings on Monday.

The private Israeli Channel 12 quoted an Israeli official as saying that Israel backed down on its decision not to allow humanitarian aid into the Gaza Strip until further notice, following American pressure.

The Israeli official added that Tel Aviv promised Washington to reopen the crossings for the entry of humanitarian aid starting Monday.

Earlier on Sunday, the official Israeli Broadcasting Corporation quoted unnamed political sources as saying that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu ordered a halt to the entry of aid into the Gaza Strip until further notice, on the recommendation of the army.

According to the Israeli Broadcasting Corporation, the sources indicated that the move came “following Hamas’s violation of the ceasefire agreement earlier today,” as they claimed.

Far-right National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir welcomed Netanyahu’s decision, saying on his account on the American company X: “There is no need to resume this aid… Rather, the war must resume, and as soon as possible,” he said.

As of Friday, Israel had allowed 653 aid trucks into Gaza since the ceasefire took effect on October 10, Ismail al Thawabta, director of the government media office in Gaza.

This number is significantly less than the amount expected to enter under the agreement, which amounts to 600 trucks per day.

Concurrently with Channel 12’s report, the Israeli military announced that it had resumed implementing the ceasefire in Gaza, following a series of large-scale attacks carried out by its forces in the Strip that left dozens dead and wounded, in response to allegations of Hamas’s violation of the agreement.

The Israeli military’s airstrikes came after Palestinian militants fired anti-tank missiles at its engineering equipment.

However, the Qassam Brigades, Hamas’s military wing, confirmed in a statement its full commitment to the ceasefire agreement and that it was unaware of the clashes in Rafah, which falls within the red zones under Israeli military control.

In contrast, Hamas denied committing any violations, stressing in a statement that it adheres to the ceasefire agreement and is working to implement its provisions with utmost precision and responsibility.

Hamas emphasized that Israel continues to violate the agreement, which has resulted in the deaths of 46 Palestinians and the injury of 132 others since it entered into force on October 10.

Israel also continues to violate the agreement, failing to ensure the entry of aid, the withdrawal zones, and the release of female and child prisoners.

The ceasefire agreement is based on US President Donald Trump’s plan, which, in addition to halting the war, calls for the release of Israeli hostages in Gaza, a ceasefire, the disarmament of Hamas, and the entry of aid into the Gaza Strip.

The Israeli army announced on Sunday the killing of a company commander and a soldier, and the serious injury of a third soldier from its ranks, in battles in the southern Gaza Strip.

The Israeli army said in a brief statement that Major Yaniv Kula, 26, from the Israeli settlement of Modi’in, a company commander in the 932nd Battalion of the Nahal Brigade, and Private Itai Yafetz, 21, from the same settlement, a fighter in the Erez program within the same battalion, were killed during fighting in the southern Gaza Strip.

The statement indicated that a third soldier was seriously injured in the same battles.

He added that the families of the two dead men had been officially informed.

Israeli Army Radio reported that the two were killed during clashes in the city of Rafah in the southern Gaza Strip, which Israel claims witnessed a ceasefire violation by Hamas.

Following this, the Israeli army launched several waves of airstrikes across the Gaza Strip since Sunday morning, killing a number of Palestinians, according to medical sources.

In contrast, Hamas denied committing any violations, stressing in a statement that it adheres to the ceasefire agreement and is working to implement its provisions with utmost precision and responsibility.