Trucks carrying aid were sent back to Egypt on Sunday after Israel decided to stop the entry of all goods and supplies into Gaza.
Israel has faced sharp criticism after it decided to stop the entry of all food and other supplies into Gaza, warning of “additional consequences” for Hamas if the fragile ceasefire brokered by the United States, Qatar and Egypt isn’t extended.
Cairo and Doha accused Israel of violating humanitarian law by using starvation as a weapon.
Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty urged all parties to deliver on their end of the deal and respect the terms of the agreement that went into effect on 19 January. The first phase of a three-part deal expired days ago, but no agreements have been made between the two sides on pursuing the second phase.
“Regarding the second phase as I mentioned, each party must implement its obligations and an agreement has been signed. This agreement must be implemented and includes the full flow of aid,” said Abdelatty.
“The use of aid as a weapon of collective punishment and starvation must not, cannot, or should not be allowed or accepted. This is completely unacceptable and represents a flagrant and explicit violation of international humanitarian law.”
The first phase, which included a surge in humanitarian aid, expired on Saturday. In the second phase, Hamas should release dozens of remaining hostages in return for a full Israeli military withdrawal from Gaza and a lasting ceasefire.
Negotiations for the second phase were meant to start a month ago but haven’t started yet.
Israel says that a new US proposal calls for extending the first phase through the holy month of Ramadan and the Jewish Passover holiday which ends on 20 April.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu says Washington’s proposal, laid out by US President Donald Trump’s Special Envoy to the Middle East, Steve Witkoff, would extend the temporary ceasefire by 50 days.
It will also see half of the hostages still held under Hamas captivity in Gaza be released immediately, with the other half released later, contingent on reaching an agreement for a permanent ceasefire.
Hamas accused Israel of trying to derail the ceasefire hours after the first phase ended, calling the decision to cut off aid “cheap extortion, a war crime and a blatant attack.”
The group also said that it had presented Israel with a proposal to begin the second phase of the deal and have fulfilled their obligations.
Netanyahu says the positions Hamas put forward for a permanent ceasefire are “totally unacceptable.”
He also asserted that Israel’s decision to prevent the flow of goods and aid into Gaza was due to Hamas stealing supplies meant for civilians.
“We’ve done that because Hamas steals the supplies and prevents the people of Gaza from getting them. It uses these supplies to finance its terror machine, which is aimed directly at Israel and our civilians – and this we cannot accept.,” Netanyahu said.
The UN as well as several international organisation like the International Committee of the Red Cross condemned Israel’s decision, accusing the Netanyahu government of disregard for international humanitarian laws.
UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres urged all parties to make every effort to prevent a return to hostilities in Gaza and resume the bloodshed. He also called on Israel to immediately reinstate the movement of aid into the enclave and called on Hamas to release all of the remaining hostages.
The war in Gaza has so far killed more than 48,000 Palestinians, according to the Hamas-run Health Ministry. More than half of those killed were women and children.
Israeli bombardment of the strip has pounded much of Gaza to rubble. The UN estimates that some 60% of the Strip’s infrastructure and buildings have been destroyed.
The war in Gaza began on 7 October, 2023, after Hamas launched an attack on southern Israel. That unprecedented incursion left some 1,200 people dead and more than 250 hostages were taken back to Gaza.
Via Euronews