Israel Continues to Violate Gaza Ceasefire Agreement: Killing Civilians, Blocking Shelters, Delaying Patient Travel

Gaza (Quds News Network)- The Israeli occupation has been violating the ceasefire agreement in Gaza by shooting and killing civilians, preventing the agreed-upon number of tents, shelters, and essential aid from entering the besieged enclave, and delaying travel approvals for patients and the wounded.

Targeting Civilians

Since the ceasefire took effect on January 19, Israeli forces have repeatedly launched airstrikes and opened fire on Palestinians. During this time, at least 92 Palestinians have been killed, and more than 800 have been injured, according to the Ministry of Health in Gaza.

On Sunday, three Palestinian policemen were killed in an Israeli airstrike east of Rafah in southern Gaza, Gaza’s Interior Ministry confirmed, marking the latest Israeli violation of the ceasefire agreement. The officers were hit while securing the entry of aid trucks through the Karem Abu Salem (Kerem Shalom) crossing.

The Interior Ministry called on mediators and the international community to compel the occupation to stop targeting the police force, which is a civil apparatus.”

Hamas issued a statement condemning the “treacherous” drone attack as “a serious violation of the ceasefire agreement”.

Essential Supplies, Shelters

Despite the ceasefire agreement, Israel has been restricting the entry of essential supplies into Gaza.

The Gaza Government Media Office reported that Israel has obstructed the entry of tents, shelters, and heavy equipment necessary for rubble removal, which was agreed under the ceasefire terms.

The Director of the World Food Programme noted that some Israeli restrictions on aid have persisted, affecting the delivery of generators, solar panels, and other vital supplies.

Under the agreement, Israel is supposed to allow 600 aid trucks to enter the Palestinian enclave daily. However, Gaza’s authorities said of the 600 trucks supposed to come in daily, the territory only saw “100 to 150 at best”.

The Government Media Office said that by 7 February, of the 12,000 aid trucks that were supposed to reach the enclave only 8,500 made it.

Quoting an official with knowledge of the ceasefire negotiations, Reuters says that “Israel had rejected requests by the United Nations, Qatar, and others to allow temporary housing units to be brought into Gaza to shelter displaced people as required under the ceasefire agreement”.

Hamas says Israel blocked the entry of 60,000 mobile houses and 200,000 tents as well as heavy machinery used to remove the rubble.

Israel denies the accusation, saying that over 100,000 tents have entered Gaza.
Truck drivers on the Egypt-Gaza border told Reuters that construction materials and tents have been blocked from entering since the start of the ceasefire.

Medical supplies, clothes, and soft drinks are also reportedly held up, waiting to enter Gaza after checks by Israeli officials.

On Sunday, the Government Media Office stated that the number of trucks entering Gaza in the past two days has not exceeded 30% of the daily amount required under the humanitarian protocol.

An Israeli political source also told the Israeli Public Broadcasting Corp (Kan) that Netanyahu has refused to allow the entry of aid trucks carrying mobile homes and heavy equipment into the enclave after security consultations with authorities on Saturday night.

Netanyahu’s move comes after Trump said on Saturday that Israel will have to decide what to do about an expired deadline for Hamas to release all the Israeli captives held in Gaza.

Kan’s unnamed source said the US president wants to change the agreement with Hamas so all the captives will be released together, earlier than the date set for phase two of the ceasefire. That phase has yet to be negotiated.

Gaza’s Government Media Office said Israel’s refusal is “a clear evasion of its pledges and obligations” in the ceasefire with Hamas.

“[It] is an explicit declaration of its failure to the agreement,” it said.
The statement added that Palestinian groups in Gaza confirmed that they would “abide by their pledges in it as long as the occupation is committed” to the deal.

It added: “This [Israeli] refusal shows the whole world who is the party obstructing the agreement, which requires the guarantor mediators to intervene and pressure the occupation to fulfill what it signed.”

Patient Travel

Israel has also limited the number of Palestinians permitted to leave Gaza for medical treatment abroad. While the agreement stipulated that 150 patients be allowed to leave per day, on February 10, only 53 were permitted, with some patients, including a child with cancer, being denied travel.

Additionally, Gaza’s Health Ministry confirmed that Israel is barring some sick and injured Palestinians from leaving the territory to receive treatment abroad, as was instructed in the agreement.

At least 24 injured Palestinians have succumbed to their wounds since the start of the ceasefire, according to the ministry.

The Government Media Office added that at least 100 children have died due to “procrastination” from Israel in letting them leave for treatment.

On Sunday, a source in the Health Ministry said that the planned trip of people in need of medical care was postponed due to the delay in Israel’s approval. The source accused Israel of deliberately delaying travel approvals for lists of patients and wounded to obstruct their evacuation.

The group was going to be the 15th batch of people leaving Gaza to receive medical care outside the enclave since the ceasefire began.