Israel ‘fully coordinated’ with Trump to extend phase one of Gaza ceasefire for 50 days, says Netanyahu
World: Netanyahu said that Witkoff came up with the extension proposal after he got that there was no way to bridge Israel and Hamas on moving further with phase two of deal.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Sunday (March 1) that Israel is "fully coordinated" with US President Donald Trump and his staff on the proposal to extend the first phase of the Gaza ceasefire for another 50 days.
During the beginning of the weekly cabinet meeting on Sunday, the Israeli PM said Trump’s special Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff proposed the extension after he understood that there is no way to move to the second phase of the deal.
Netanyahu said that Witkoff came up with the extension proposal after he got that there was no way to bridge Israel and Palestinian militant group positions' on moving further with the second phase of the deal.
“He even defined his proposal as a corridor for negotiations on phase two,” the prime minister said. “Israel is ready for this.”
'Israel will immediately enter into talks...'
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Netanyahu added that if Hamas agrees to the extensions, then Israel will immediately enter into talks.
If Hamas thinks that it will be possible to continue the ceasefire or to enjoy the conditions of phase one without us receiving hostages, it is very mistaken,” he warned.
Last night, the Israeli PM threatened that Israel is permitted to return to fighting in Gaza “if it is convinced that the negotiations are ineffective,” and that a US letter affirms this claim.
“Despite this, we agreed to the Witkoff outline because we are committed to returning our hostages,” Netanyahu said, adding that Israel still assesses that Hamas is holding 59 hostages—up to 24 alive and at least 35 dead.
Also read: Netanyahu accepts US-backed temporary ceasefire for Ramzan in Gaza, Hamas rejects proposal
Hamas abusing Gazans
Netanyahu, while talking about Israel's decision to halt aid moving into Gaza, said that Hamas is currently taking control of all supplies and goods sent to the Gaza Strip.
"It is abusing the Gazan population who are trying to receive the aid, it is shooting at them and is turning humanitarian aid into a terrorist budget directed against us," he said.
He warned “additional consequences” if Hamas doesn’t release more hostages but doesn’t lay them out.
Also read: Gaza ceasefire: Hamas ready to complete 'remaining stages' of truce, Israel yet to strike a deal
Earlier in the day, Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar called the warnings of famine risk in Gaza "a lie" following the suspension of supply entries into Gaza by Israel.
"With regards to this starvation [claim], that was a lie during all this war. That was a lie," Saar said at a press conference in Jerusalem when asked about what would happen if people began to starve.
This comes after Israel issued a stern warning to Hamas of potential "consequences" if the group refused a proposed temporary extension of the truce in the besieged Palestinian enclave.
"Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu decided that, from this morning, all entry of goods and supplies into the Gaza Strip will be suspended," his office said in a statement.
(With inputs from agencies)
