THE ceasefire deal between Israel and Hamas was hanging by a thread today after Israel blockaded all goods and supplies reaching Palestinians in the Gaza Strip.

Israeli representatives also warned of “additional consequences” if Hamas doesn’t accept a new proposal to extend the fragile ceasefire.

Hamas has accused Israel of trying to derail the existing ceasefire agreement and said its decision to cut off aid was “cheap extortion, a war crime and a blatant attack” on the truce, which began in January after more than a year of negotiations. 

Both sides stopped short of saying the ceasefire had ended.

The first phase of the ceasefire, which included a surge in humanitarian assistance, expired on Saturday. The two sides have yet to negotiate the second phase, in which Hamas was to release dozens of remaining hostages in return for an Israeli withdrawal and a lasting ceasefire.

An Israeli official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the decision to suspend aid was made in co-ordination with the United States. 

Egypt, a key mediator in the ceasefire process, accused Israel of using “starvation as a weapon.” Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty called today for the immediate implementation of the next phase of the ceasefire.

There was no immediate comment from the US on Israel’s announcement.

Israel claims its new proposal, which it said came from US Mideast envoy Steve Witkoff, called to extending the ceasefire through Ramadan – the Muslim holy month that began over the weekend – and the Jewish Passover holiday, which ends on April 20.

Under the deal Hamas would release half its hostages on the first day and the rest when an agreement is reached on a permanent ceasefire, according to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office.

Foreign minister Gideon Saar said Israel was prepared to negotiate over the next phase but insisted on more hostages being freed during the talks. 

He said Israel had received a side letter from the Biden administration saying there was no automatic transition between the phases of the truce.

Hamas warned that any attempt to delay or cancel the ceasefire agreement would have “humanitarian consequences” for the hostages and reiterated that the only way to free them was through implementing the existing deal, which did not specify a timeline for freeing the remaining captives.

Hamas has said it is willing to free the hostages all at once in Phase Two, but only in return for the release of more Palestinian prisoners, a permanent ceasefire and the withdrawal of Israeli forces.