From the Liveblog of
Wednesday, March 5, 2025
Sa’ar to UK counterpart: Half of Hamas budget comes from aid trucks
Add ToI as a Preferred Source on GoogleNava Freiberg is The Times of Israel's deputy diplomatic correspondent.
Foreign Minister Sa’ar speaks with his British counterpart about the impasse in Israel’s ceasefire with Hamas and the reasoning behind Israel’s recent decision to block trucks carrying humanitarian aid into the Gaza Strip.
Sa’ar writes on X that he told UK Foreign Secretary David Lammy during their call that “during the 42-day phase one, 25,000 aid trucks entered Gaza – half of Hamas’s budget in Gaza comes from these trucks! Hamas is restoring its military capabilities and recruiting new, young terrorists. This cannot continue!”
Sa’ar says he stressed to Lammy that Hamas rejected a proposal from US Special Envoy Steve Witkoff to extend the temporary ceasefire through Ramadan and Passover on condition that Hamas release more hostages.
I spoke with UK Foreign Secretary @DavidLammy and stressed that Israel accepted U.S. Special Envoy Steve Witkoff's proposal to extend the temporary ceasefire through Ramadan and Passover, provided that Hamas release hostages. Hamas rejected the offer. During the 42-day phase one,… pic.twitter.com/67Bju408Oe
— Gideon Sa'ar | גדעון סער (@gidonsaar) March 5, 2025
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