The Rafah crossing, a vital southern corridor for the entry of humanitarian aid to the Gaza Strip, remained closed this Wednesday due to Israel despite the commitments of the ceasefire mediated by Egypt and Qatar.
The measure contradicts what was agreed with the Hamas group and worsens the humanitarian catastrophe in the Palestinian territory, where the UN has already declared famine in several areas.
Humanitarian sources confirmed to the AFP that trucks with food and medicine were not allowed to access, while Israel conditions the total opening on the delivery of the bodies of hostages still held by Hamas.
“Aid is not flowing as it should. Gaza is starving,” denounced Tom Fletcher, head of UN operations in the region.
The political game behind aid
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu faces pressure from his far-right coalition to link aid to Gaza with the recovery of hostage bodies.
Itamar Ben Gvir, Minister of National Security, demanded “cut off the supply until Hamas complies.”
Meanwhile, Trump’s plan – backed by mediators – establishes that Israel must hand over 15 Palestinian bodies for each Israeli hostage returned.
So far, Hamas has freed 20 hostages alive and handed over 10 bodies, although one was not identified. The delay in the delivery of the remaining deceased has strained negotiations, with international criticism for the use of aid as a bargaining chip.
The International Committee of the Red Cross received the remains of two more hostages held by Hamas on Wednesday, hours after the Israeli Army said that one of the bodies previously handed over did not correspond to a hostage.
The Israeli Army reported that the Red Cross received the remains and that they would be transferred to Israeli forces in Gaza.
For its part, Gaza’s Health Ministry said it received 45 additional bodies of Palestinians from Israel, another step in the implementation of the ceasefire agreement. So far the bodies of 90 Palestinians have been transferred. The forensic team that examined the remains said they showed signs of mistreatment.
Hamas reaffirms its internal control under threats from Trump
While the Israeli siege suffocates Gaza, Hamas has regained military and civilian control in the enclave, executing alleged collaborators with Israel.
A video released by the group shows the public execution of eight men accused of “treason”, in a repressive escalation that has divided the population.
US President Donald Trump warned this Wednesday that “if Hamas does not disarm, we will. It will be quick and perhaps violent.”
In statements to the string cnnthe president said he would consider allowing Israeli forces to resume fighting in Gaza if Hamas does not live up to its side of the ceasefire agreement.
“Israel will be back on those streets as soon as I say so. If Israel could come in and beat them up, it would,” Trump declared when asked what would happen if Hamas refused to disarm.
His statements reflect support for a possible resumption of Israeli operations, despite the ceasefire. Trump’s 20-point plan calls for the group’s complete disarmament and exclusion from a future government in Gaza, something Hamas rejects for the moment, arguing that the occupation continues.
Gaza, inflation and the banking system
The UN and human rights organizations have documented summary executions and clashes between Palestinian factions, in a scenario that complicates stability.
“Our message is clear: there will be no place for outlaws or those who threaten the security of citizens,” a Palestinian security source in Gaza told the French press agency AFP, as armed patrols reappear in northern Gaza.
Meanwhile, the civilian population pays the price: more than 67,900 Gazans have died according to local authorities, although real figures could be higher. With most banks collapsed, 5,000% food inflation and limited access to cash, the economic crisis deepens the suffering.
It was announced that banks will gradually begin to resume their services in the Gaza Strip starting this Thursday, the Palestinian Monetary Authority (PMA) reported this Wednesday.
Without banks in operation due to the Israeli offensive, Gazans are forced to pay a high rate to money changers and on the black market to obtain cash, said a report from the Spanish agency. EFE.
UN experts warned last month of the “severe economic emergency” that the Gaza Strip was experiencing, since “economic life in Gaza has been decimated by physical destruction, blockade and siege, and repeated forced displacement.”
With the Rafah crossing closed and Hamas rearming its structure, the ceasefire seems fragile. The international community urges Israel to allow the massive entry of aid and Hamas to stop internal violence.
