Israel Shuts Gaza Border Crossing, Slashes Aid Deliveries Amid Rising Tensions: NPR

AMMAN, Jordan – On Wednesday, Israel maintained the closure of the vital Rafah border crossing between Egypt and Gaza, simultaneously halving the volume of humanitarian aid permitted into the territory. This move comes as a response to what Israel describes as delays by Hamas in returning the bodies of hostages.

The recent ceasefire agreement in Gaza, brokered by the United States, hinges significantly on the exchange of Israeli captives and Palestinian detainees, alongside the transfer of deceased individuals’ remains.

An Israeli security source, who requested anonymity due to lack of authorization to speak publicly, informed NPR that “despite reports, the Rafah Crossing remained closed today.”

Earlier reports from Israeli media had suggested that the Rafah crossing, which has been shut since Israel took control of the Gaza side last year, would reopen as part of the israel-attack/” title=”Lebanon Appeals for US Support Amid Heartbreaking Burial of Family Killed in …i Attack | …-Lebanon Conflict Updates”>ceasefire terms.

While the ceasefire largely held on Wednesday, Hamas accused Israel of breaching the agreement through continued strikes within Gaza.

Although Israeli forces began withdrawing last week, they still control over half of the Gaza Strip. Authorities have issued warnings to Gaza residents to avoid areas where Israeli troops remain stationed, highlighting six specific zones in the northern and southern parts of Gaza as particularly hazardous.

For several months, Israel has limited the flow of food and medical supplies into Gaza, a territory whose borders it regulates. As part of the ceasefire, Israel committed to permitting 600 truckloads of humanitarian aid daily-the minimum threshold aid agencies deem necessary to prevent widespread famine.

However, Olga Cherevko, spokesperson for the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs in Gaza, announced on Tuesday that Israel would reduce the aid deliveries to 300 trucks per day starting Wednesday, while continuing to restrict fuel and gas shipments.

The Israeli military authority overseeing the border explained that these limitations are a direct consequence of “Hamas violating the agreement concerning the release of hostage bodies,” according to Reuters.

Hamas has so far transferred eight bodies to the International Committee of the Red Cross for delivery to Israel. The group claims it requires additional time to locate and retrieve approximately 20 more bodies, as many burial sites remain unidentified after two years of intense Israeli airstrikes.

The U.S.-mediated ceasefire stipulated that if Hamas failed to hand over the bodies by Monday, it must provide detailed information and make every effort to expedite the process.

On Monday, Hamas completed the transfer of the last 20 living hostages to Israel. In return, Israel released roughly 1,700 detainees, including women and children, who had been held without charges. Additionally, Israel freed 242 Palestinian prisoners serving long sentences, with more than half sent into exile.

Despite an agreed exchange ratio of 15 Palestinian bodies for every Israeli body returned, only 45 Palestinian remains have been handed over to date.