Aid trucks stuck at Rafah border amid Gaza truce standoff

Aid trucks were stuck in a long line at Egypt's Rafah border crossing, after Israel blocked them from going into Gaza as a standoff over a truce with Hamas escalated.

The first phase of the previously-agreed ceasefire expired on Saturday. And talks for a second phase have yet to begin.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu told a cabinet meeting, the country has agreed to a U.S. proposal for a temporary ceasefire in Gaza.

The truce proposes to halt fighting until after the Muslim Ramadan holy month and the Jewish Passover holiday - ending around April 20.

Ramadan began, with thousands of Palestinians seen sitting together between piles of rubble in Gaza for the first break of their daily fast in the evening.

The proposed truce requires Hamas to release half of the living and dead hostages on the first day.

The remainder are to be released at the end, if a deal is reached on a permanent ceasefire.

But Hamas has rejected the idea of a temporary extension and called on mediators Egypt and Qatar to intervene.

It said it was committed to the originally-agreed ceasefire, with second phase talks aimed at a permanent end to the war.

Netanyahu demanded Hamas release the hostages, threatening what he said were "additional consequences", without giving further details.

In response to the rising tensions, Egypt's foreign minister called the use of aid as a weapon of collective punishment a "flagrant violation of international humanitarian law.” Badr Abdelatty also said the country was continuing "intensive" efforts to start the second-phase talks.

At a press briefing, Abdelatty said Egypt has a Gaza reconstruction plan ready to be presented at an emergency Arab summit in Cairo.

It comes after Arab states firmly rejected President Donald Trump's plan for the U.S. to take control of Gaza and resettle Palestinians.

Abdelatty said he could not give details yet, but that the Egyptian plan will ensure Palestinians remain in their land.