How did Israel violate the ceasefire in Gaza?
The fate of Gaza’s fragile ceasefire agreement is in jeopardy after Hamas accused Israel of violating the terms of the agreement.
Israel's leaders reacted angrily after the Palestinian group’s decision to postpone the release of Israeli captives over alleged violations.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said he would resume the war if more captives were not released on Saturday.
“If Hamas does not return our hostages by Saturday noon – the ceasefire will end, and the IDF will return to intense fighting until Hamas is finally defeated,” he said in a video address on Tuesday.
US President Donald Trump, a staunch supporter of Netanyahu, added that the Israelis should “let all hell break loose” if the captives are not released by the Saturday deadline.
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Abu Obeida, spokesperson for Hamas’ armed wing the Qassam Brigades, said that the group’s leadership “monitored the enemy’s violations and their non-compliance with the terms of the agreement … Meanwhile, the resistance fulfilled all its obligations”.
Has Israel violated the ceasefire, and in what ways? Here is what we know:
Continued deadly attacks on Gaza
Despite officially halting the fighting, the Israeli army has repeatedly launched air strikes and shot at Palestinians since the ceasefire went into force.
Palestinians have also reported regularly hearing Israeli drones in the sky.
On Tuesday, Gaza’s health ministry said that 92 people have been killed and 822 were injured by the Israeli army since the start of the truce.
Hamas says that on top of these attacks, Israel has also delayed the return of displaced Palestinians to northern Gaza, which is one of the ceasefire agreement’s key commitments.
Humanitarian aid obstruction
One of the key focuses of Hamas’ accusations was that Israel is allegedly obstructing the flow of humanitarian aid into Gaza.
Under the agreement, Israel is supposed to allow 600 aid trucks to enter the Palestinian enclave daily.
Tom Fletcher, the UN’s top aid official, said on 6 February that 10,000 trucks had entered Gaza since the start of the ceasefire.
However, Gaza’s municipality spokesperson told the Anadolu Agency that of the 600 trucks supposed to come in daily, the territory only saw “100 to 150 at best”.
The Gaza government’s media office said that by 7 February, of the 12,000 aid trucks that were supposed to reach the enclave only 8,500 made it.
Quoting an official with knowledge of the ceasefire negotiations, Reuters says that “Israel had rejected requests by the United Nations, Qatar and others to allow temporary housing units to be brought into Gaza to shelter displaced people as required under the ceasefire agreement”.
Hamas says Israel blocked the entry of 60,000 mobile houses and 200,000 tents as well as heavy machinery used to remove the rubble.
Israel denies the accusation, saying that over 100,000 tents have entered Gaza.
Truck drivers on the Egypt-Gaza border told Reuters that construction materials and tents have been blocked from entering since the start of the ceasefire.
Medical supplies, clothes and soft drinks are also reportedly held up, waiting to enter Gaza after checks by Israeli officials.
Additionally, Gaza’s health ministry says that Israel is barring some sick and injured Palestinians from leaving the territory to receive treatment abroad, as was instructed in the agreement.
The denied travellers include a 16-year-old cancer patient, the ministry says.
At least 24 injured Palestinians have succumbed to their wounds since the start of the ceasefire, according to the ministry. The government media office adds that at least 100 children have died due to “procrastination” from Israel in letting them leave for treatment.
Lack of fuel, solar panels
As part of the obstruction to the entry of humanitarian aid, the Gaza government’s media office said that only 15 trucks of fuel have entered daily to power hospitals and other vital services, as opposed to 50 as per the agreement.
The office accuses Israel of also blocking the delivery of generators and their spare parts, solar panels and their batteries, wires and water tanks as well as materials needed to repair the water and sewage network in northern Gaza.
Delay in prisoner releases
During the third batch of captive exchanges, Israel delayed the release of Palestinian detainees by over six hours.
Additionally, an anonymous well-placed source told the Anadolu Agency that, on several occasions, some detainees were transferred to Gaza without their consent or prior coordination.
Israel has also reportedly delayed releasing the list of names of detainees to be released.
Trump’s statements, Israeli reactions
Following Trump’s announced plan to have the US take over the Gaza Strip and expel Palestinians to Egypt and Jordan, Hamas released several statements strongly rejecting this proposal.
Journalists and analysts believe the US president’s statements may further complicate the ceasefire agreement’s survival, as a potential new occupation of Gaza, along with the expulsion of its population, may prompt further conflict.
Israeli officials have largely reacted positively to Trump’s offer, with Defence Minister Israel Katz instructing his army to prepare for the “voluntary departure” of Palestinians.
Netanyahu said that the proposal was “revolutionary, creative” and that it would “open many opportunities” for Israel.
The implementation of the plan would be a violation of the future phases of the ceasefire, which focus on the return of displaced Palestinians and the reconstruction of Gaza.
Over 47,000 Palestinians were killed by Israel’s war on Gaza, which also decimated much of the enclave’s civilian infrastructure.
Palestinians who have spoken to Middle East Eye have expressed a determination to stay in their land, vehemently rejecting any plan that would have them leave their homes and land once again.
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