(2 Mar 2025)
RESTRICTION SUMMARY:
ASSOCIATED PRESS
Rafah crossing, Egypt – 02 MARCH 2025
1. Various of Rafah crossing gate close after an Israeli decision to halt humanitarian aid to cross to Gaza
2. Various of trucks loaded by humanitarian aid, bulldozers queuing waiting to reopen the crossing
3. SOUNDBITE (Arabic) no name given, driver:
“Today is the second day of Ramadan, as you can see, the trucks are standing still. The people there (in Gaza) have no food or drink. The priority should be for the trucks to enter above anything else. We have been here since February 17, and not a single truck has entered yet. The trucks that do manage to enter are sent back. No one understands what is happening. Hopefully, we will be allowed to enter because the people there need this aid more than we do “
4. Various of aid trucks waiting
5. SOUNDBITE (Arabic) no name given, driver:
“As for the decision that was issued today, honestly, it is a wrong decision. This decision, issued by Israel, should have been made through an agreement among all officials to resolve this issue, God willing. The people there are in need, and we must stand by them “
6. Various of humanitarian aid trucks and fuel tankers being sent back by Israel to Egypt from Kerem Shalom crossing
STORYLINE:
Trucks carrying humanitarian aid were on Sunday sent back to Egypt, after Israel stopped the entry of all food and other supplies into Gaza on Sunday.
Israel warned of “additional consequences” if Hamas doesn’t accept a new proposal to extend a fragile ceasefire, while key mediator Egypt accused Israel of using “starvation as a weapon.”
Hamas accused Israel of trying to derail the ceasefire hours after its first phase ended, while talks on the second phase have yet to start. It called the decision to cut off aid “cheap extortion, a war crime and a blatant attack” on the truce, which took hold in January after over a year of negotiations. Both sides stopped short of saying the ceasefire had ended.
The first phase, which included a surge in humanitarian aid after months of growing hunger, expired on Saturday. In the second phase, Hamas should release dozens of remaining hostages in return for an Israeli pullout from Gaza and a lasting ceasefire.
Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty condemned Israel’s decision as “a flagrant and clear violation of humanitarian law,” and called for the immediate implementation of the second phase.
The International Committee of the Red Cross, which has facilitated the releases of hostages and Palestinian prisoners, said the ceasefire has saved countless lives, and “any unraveling of the forward momentum created over the last six weeks risks plunging people back into despair.”
The U.N. humanitarian chief Tom Fletcher called Israel’s decision “alarming," noting that international humanitarian law makes clear that aid access must be allowed. The MSF medical charity accused Israel of using aid as a bargain chip and called it “unacceptable, outrageous.”
Israel described the new proposal as a U.S. one. There was no immediate comment from the United States, and it wasn’t clear when U.S. envoy Steve Witkoff, expected to visit the region last week, would arrive.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said that under the existing agreement Israel could resume fighting after the first phase if it believes negotiations are ineffective. He said the ceasefire would only continue if Hamas keeps releasing hostages. He said Israel was “full coordinated” with President Donald Trump’s administration.
But residents said prices doubled as word of the closure spread.
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