Israel stopping all goods and supplies into Gaza – hours after agreeing ceasefire extension plan
Israel says it is stopping all goods and supplies into Gaza.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office claimed Hamas was refusing to “accept the Witkoff outline for continuing the talks, which Israel agreed to”.
Under a plan put forward by US Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff, the first phase of the ceasefire deal would continue through Ramadan and Passover, or until 20 April.
Surrounded by the rubble of destroyed homes and buildings, Palestinians gather to break their fast on the first day of Ramadan in Rafah in the Gaza Strip. Pic: AP
A tent camp for displaced Palestinians in the Gaza Strip. Pic: AP
Israel said in a statement that Mr Netanyahu “decided that starting this morning, all entry of goods and supplies into the Gaza Strip would cease”.
It added: “Israel will not allow a ceasefire without the release of our hostages.
“If Hamas continues its refusal, there will be further consequences.”
Israeli’s foreign minister said the country’s commitment to deliver goods was “for the first phase” and that “has lapsed”.
Gideon Saar added that Israel is ready for the second phase of the agreement but “not for free”.
Hamas called Israel’s decision a “cheap extortion, a war crime and a blatant attack on the [ceasefire] agreement”.
The militant group said the move “affects” the peace process, and “complicates matters and affects the negotiation process, and Hamas doesn’t respond to pressures”.
Egypt – a key mediator with the group – accused Israel of using “starvation as a weapon”.
Both sides stopped short of saying the ceasefire had ended.
Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff.
File pic: Reuters/Evelyn Hockstein/Pool
The holy month of Ramadan started on Friday and is usually between 29 and 30 days. Pictures emerged from Gaza of Palestinians celebrating among the rubble.
The Jewish holiday of Passover is shorter, but this year finishes on Sunday 20 April.
The first phase of the previously agreed ceasefire expired on Saturday.
Phase one halted 15 months of fighting and saw the release of 33 Israeli hostages held in Gaza and five Thai nationals, in exchange for around 2,000 Palestinian prisoners and detainees.
The extension would push back phase two of the ceasefire, which was intended to introduce talks to bring about a permanent end to the war.
Hamas said earlier on Saturday the group rejected Israel’s “formulation” of extending the first phase of the ceasefire in Gaza, but did not explicitly mention Mr Witkoff’s plan.
Both sides have previously traded accusations that the other has violated the fragile ceasefire.
Meanwhile, talks on the long-term future of Gaza are yet to seriously materialise after the UN said it would take decades to rebuild the enclave.
Palestinians gather among the rubble for iftar, the fast-breaking meal, on the first day of Ramadan in Rafah, in the south of the enclave. Pic: AP
Pic: AP/Abdel Kareem Hana
Israeli statement
A statement from the Israeli prime minister’s office originally published in Hebrew said that on the first day of the proposed extension, half of the hostages and bodies of the dead would be released.
It added that at the end, if an agreement on a permanent ceasefire was reached, the remaining hostages and bodies would also be released.
The statement added: “Witkoff proposed the outline for extending the ceasefire after he was impressed that at this stage there was no possibility of bridging the positions of the parties to end the war, and that additional time was needed for talks on a permanent ceasefire.”
It went on to add that Israel could return to fighting “after the 42nd day if it feels that the negotiations are ineffective”, pointing out that this was supported by the Trump administration.
It isn’t clear what dates these days correspond to.
Contention over the extension
Two Palestinian officials familiar with negotiations told Reuters that Israel refused to enter phase two of the agreement or start negotiations about it.
Instead, they said that Israel requested an extension of the first phase, conditioned on the handover of a number of hostages and bodies for each week of the extension.
Hamas, however, Reuters reported, rejected this and insisted on sticking to the original agreement and entering into the second phase, as was previously agreed.
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Before the most recent statement, an Egyptian official involved in the ceasefire talks said Hamas, Qatar and Egypt wanted to continue with the existing ceasefire deal, according to The Associated Press.
It added that they rejected Israel’s proposal to extend the ceasefire for four weeks, with hostage releases, without officially entering the second phase.
World
Volodymyr Zelenskyy tells Sky News ‘I am exchangeable for NATO membership’ after PM announces missile plan for Ukraine
Volodymyr Zelenskyy has said he is “exchangeable” for Ukrainian membership of NATO, indicating he would be prepared to step down as president if his country was allowed to join the military alliance.
He also suggested he was ready to sign a minerals deal with the US that was put on hold after his heated meeting with Donald Trump in the Oval Office on Friday.
Mr Zelenskyy was speaking to reporters on Sunday evening after earlier talks with other world leaders at a London summit hosted by Sir Keir Starmer, who suggested a coalition of European allies could step up to defend Ukraine and “guarantee the peace”.
Latest updates on Ukraine’s future
Asked by Sky News’ lead world news presenter Yalda Hakim if he could quit in the event his country becomes a NATO member, he said: “I am exchangeable for NATO.”
The Ukraine president added: “I have said that I am exchanging for NATO membership, then it means I have fulfilled my mission. NATO means I have fulfilled my mission.”
But, he continued: “To change me, it will not be easy because it is not enough to simply hold elections. You would need to prevent me from participating. And it will be a bit more difficult.”
Mr Zelenskyy has also rebuffed US officials calling for him to resign.
His comments at Stansted Airport come after Republicans including senator Lindsay Graham and speaker Mike Johnson suggested he should step down from his position following the fiery White House exchange with President Trump.
Mr Zelenskyy spoke to journalists shortly before leaving the UK on Sunday evening.
Volodymyr Zelenskyy speaking to Sky News’ Yalda Hakim
In response to a question from Yalda Hakim, Mr Zelenskyy said: “I can give [Lindsay Graham] citizenship of Ukraine and he will become a citizen of our country.
“And then his voice will start to gain weight, and I will hear him as a citizen of Ukraine on the topic of who must be the president.”
“The president of Ukraine will have to be chosen not in Lindsay Graham’s home but in Ukraine,” he added.
Pic: Reuters
Mr Zelenskyy confirmed there has been communication between Ukraine and the Trump administration since the clash on Friday, but “not on my level”.
Mr Graham – a Republican senator and close Trump ally – labelled the meeting a “complete, utter disaster” at a press briefing on Friday.
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Watch Trump and Zelenskyy clash
Asked whether Mr Zelenskyy should step aside, he said: “He either needs to resign or send somebody over that we can do business with, or he needs to change.”
After the London summit on Sunday, the prime minister unveiled a four-step plan discussed by leaders, including a pledge to “develop a coalition of the willing” to defend a deal in Ukraine and guarantee a peace settlement.
Sir Keir said Europe “must do the heavy lifting”, and the UK “is prepared to back this with boots on the ground and planes in the air, together with others”.
He also announced a new deal which will allow Ukraine to use £1.6bn of UK export finance to buy 5,000 more air defence missiles.
Zelenskyy’s meeting with the King
The Ukrainian president’s 90-minute sit down with the media came shortly after he wrapped up a tough week with a visit to see the King at Sandringham.
Mr Zelenskyy flew to Norfolk in a helicopter on Sunday afternoon after attending the security summit in central London.
Pic: PA
People – some holding Ukraine flags – gathered outside Sandringham to try to witness his arrival. A military helicopter could be seen flying low before descending over the estate.
Pictures released after the meeting show Charles and Mr Zelenskyy shaking hands by the entrance to the royal home. The pair chatted briefly before heading inside, where they posed for more photographs.
Their meeting lasted just under an hour, Sky News understands.
Pic: PA
A difficult week for Ukrainian president
Mr Zelenskyy’s difficult few days began on Friday, when his day at the White House with Mr Trump was cut short after their meeting in the Oval Office descended into a shouting match.
The pair had been due to sign a minerals deal and hold a joint press conference – but both events were called off after their tense exchange, fuelled in part by comments from vice president JD Vance.
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Sir Keir welcomed Mr Zelenskyy to Downing Street on Saturday. Pic: PA
As White House officials scrapped the day’s schedule, Mr Trump described the meeting as “very meaningful” in a post on his Truth Social platform.
He wrote: “I have determined that President Zelenskyy is not ready for Peace if America is involved, because he feels our involvement gives him a big advantage in negotiations.”
Meanwhile, in an interview on Fox News, the Ukrainian president said the row was “not good for both sides” and refused to apologise. Mr Zelenskyy then jetted to the UK to meet Sir Keir and other world leaders.
World
US speaker says Zelenskyy might need to resign – as Lord Mandelson suggests Ukraine commits to ceasefire before Russia
US Speaker Mike Johnson has suggested Volodymyr Zelenskyy might need to leave office in order for Ukraine to achieve a peace deal with Russia, as Lord Mandelson says Kyiv should commit to a ceasefire before Russia.
“Something has to change,” Mr Johnson told NBC.
“Either he needs to come to his senses and come back to the table in gratitude or someone else needs to lead the country to do that,” he added, referring to Mr Zelenskyy.
The Republican said “it’s up to the Ukrainians to figure that out”.
Meanwhile Lord Mandelson, the UK’s ambassador to the US, told ABC News: “I think that Ukraine should be the first to commit to a ceasefire and defy the Russians to follow.
“And then, as part of the unfolding plan for this negotiation, the Europeans and perhaps some other countries too have got to consider how they are going to put forces on the ground to play their part in providing enduring security and deterrence for Ukraine.”
Ukraine war summit latest: ‘This is a once in a generation moment’, PM tells EU leaders
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Trump and Zelenskyy’s body language explained
The remarks came two days after a disastrous meeting between the Ukrainian president and Donald Trump and his vice president JD Vance descended into a shouting match in the Oval Office.
Mr Johnson said: “What President Zelenskyy did in the White House was effectively signal to us that he’s not ready for that yet and I think that’s a great disappointment.”
The fallout left a proposed agreement between Ukraine and the US to jointly develop Ukraine’s natural resources in limbo.
Mike Johnson. Pic: Reuters
The idea of Mr Zelenskyy stepping aside also came up on Friday after the Oval Office meeting, with US Republican senator Lindsey Graham saying the Ukrainian leader “either needs to resign or send somebody over that we can do business with, or he needs to change”.
Meanwhile, White House national security adviser Mike Waltz said it is not clear Mr Zelenskyy is prepared to secure lasting peace with Russia.
“We need a leader that can deal with us, eventually deal with the Russians and end this war,” Mr Waltz told CNN when asked whether Mr Trump wants Mr Zelenskyy to resign.
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“If it becomes apparent that President Zelenskyy’s either personal motivations or political motivations are divergent from ending the fighting in his country, then I think we have a real issue on our hands.”
US secretary of state Marco Rubio said he had not spoken to Mr Zelenskyy since the spat on Friday.
“We’ll be ready to re-engage when they’re ready to make peace,” Mr Rubio told ABC.
Marco Rubio during the meeting between Mr Zelenskyy and Mr Trump. Pic: Reuters
But Democratic senator Amy Klobuchar told ABC she was “appalled” by the clash in the Oval Office and said she met Mr Zelenskyy before he went to the White House on Friday and he had been excited to sign an expected minerals deal.
“There is still an opening here” for a peace deal, she said.
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World leaders embrace Zelenskyy
It comes as Sir Keir Starmer hosted a summit between Mr Zelenskyy and other European leaders in an effort to get a peace plan back on track.
The prime minister said the UK, France and Ukraine would work on a ceasefire plan to present to the US.
Sir Keir, who visited Washington on Thursday, said he believes Mr Trump does want a “lasting peace” but warned Europe is in a “moment of real fragility” and he would not trust the word of Vladimir Putin.
Mr Zelenskyy will later meet the King.
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