Israel and Hamas trade accusations as aid stalls

Israel and Hamas have traded accusations of ceasefire violations amid tensions over the flow of aid into Gaza and warnings that the humanitarian crisis risks deteriorating further.

- Jason Burke Lorenzo Tondo Jerusalem

The ceasefire deal signed last week between Israel and Hamas raised hopes of a surge of aid finally reaching the territory after two years of war, but most restrictions have remained in place, throttling the supply of desperately needed assistance.

Israeli officials said yesterday that the Rafah crossing with Egypt would remain shut to individuals until Sunday at least - and may not open to humanitarian convoys at all. Aid agencies say opening Rafah, which has been controlled by Israel since May last year, is critical for bringing sufficient humanitarian assistance into the territory.

“We need more fuel to go into Gaza, we need more food, more medical equipment, medications, medics, doctors,” said Hanan Balkhy, regional director for the World Health Organization, echoing demands by international leaders for Israel to allow in more aid.

Israel has accused Hamas of violating the ceasefire agreement by failing to return the remains of deceased hostages. On Monday, Hamas returned the last 20 surviving hostages to Israel but handed back only nine of the bodies of the 28 deceased captives, saying it would need specialist recovery equipment to retrieve the rest from the ruins of Gaza.

US advisers working on the implementation of Donald Trump's ceasefire deal, as well as the Red Cross, have said there are very significant practical difficulties in recovering the remains of hostages amid the devastation caused by Israel's offensive during the 24-month war.

Benjamin Netanyahu, Israel's prime minister, said yesterday that he was determined to ensure that Hamas handed back the remains of hostages still in Gaza, adding that the fight was "not over yet".