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Key Points
- Israel has blocked the entry of humanitarian aid into Gaza after the first phase of the ceasefire deal ended.
- Israel said it backs a US proposal for a truce during Ramadan and Passover if hostages are freed.
- Hamas rejected extending the truce and insisted on talks for a permanent ceasefire deal.
The truce would be conditional on Hamas releasing half of the living and dead hostages on the first day, with the remainder released at the conclusion, if an agreement is reached on a permanent ceasefire.
“Israel will not allow a ceasefire without the release of our hostages,” Netanyahu’s office said, announcing that the entry of all goods and supplies into the Gaza Strip would be halted.
Aid blockade draws criticism
It also accused Israel of using starvation as “a weapon against the Palestinian people”.
The Israeli decision “to stop the entry of humanitarian aid into the Gaza Strip, and its use as a tool of blackmail and collective punishment … is a flagrant violation of international law and a direct violation of the rules of international humanitarian law”, said a foreign ministry statement cited by the official Saudi Press Agency, also urging the international community to “stop these serious Israeli violations”.
