Headline Roundup • March 3rd, 2025
What's Next for Gaza?
Summary from the AllSides News Team
Israel blocked aid to Gaza on Sunday as it seeks a ceasefire extension with Hamas.
For Context: The first phase of the Hamas-Israel ceasefire ended Saturday without a resolution on what comes next. Hamas accused Israel of violating the cease-fire agreement, saying that humanitarian aid deliveries were supposed to be allowed to continue during negotiations for the second phase of the ceasefire. Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Egypt, and Jordan have criticized Israel's actions.
Key Quotes: “With the conclusion of the 1st stage of the hostages deal and in light of Hamas’ refusal to accept the [U.S. Mideast envoy Steve] Witkoff framework for the continuation of the talks, to which Israel agreed, PM Netanyahu decided: as of this morning, entry of all goods & supplies to the Gaza Strip be halted,” said Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office. Saudi Arabia said the “use of aid as a tool of extortion and collective punishment” violated international law.
Egypt's Plan: Egypt has drawn up a plan for Gaza as an alternative to President Donald Trump's plan. Its plan would replace Hamas' leadership with interim bodies controlled by Arab, Muslim, and Western states. The proposal is set to be presented to the Arab League at a summit on Tuesday.
How The Media Covered It: Outlets on the left were more likely to focus on criticism of Israel from Arab nations, while outlets on the right emphasized the Israeli perspective. Outlets on the right were also more likely to label Israel's actions as a step toward full-scale war.
Featured Coverage of this Story
Reuters
The testing second stage of Gaza's ceasefire was always in doubt; now it seems to be dead at the moment it was meant to start.
Concern is mounting that war will return to this ravaged territory, deepening the profound suffering of Palestinians and threatening the lives of the remaining hostages held by Hamas.
Israel, backed by the United States, says there is a new deal now, after the agreement's first phase ended on Saturday. And it has halted all humanitarian aid to Gaza until Hamas accepts this new version too.
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From October 2023 to January 2025, Benjamin Netanyahu managed to displace about 1.9 million Palestinians – almost all of the population of Gaza. He must be proud. The Israeli prime minister can now go down in the Guinness Book of Records as the man who single-handedly displaced the most people within the smallest territory.
I, myself, am one of these 1.9 million. I was displaced twice: the first time at the beginning of the genocidal war and then again a year later.
Israel halted any entry of goods into the Gaza Strip on Sunday, signaling the start of a more aggressive phase of its war to destroy Hamas.
Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the decision was a response to Hamas’s rejection of a proposal by U.S. Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff to extend the phase one hostage-ceasefire deal that expired a day earlier. Israel had endorsed the proposal.
