The Foreign Ministry strongly condemned the decision by the Israeli government to halt the entry of humanitarian aid into Gaza, warning that the move violates international law and exacerbates the humanitarian crisis in the region.
“The Israeli government’s denial of the Palestinian people’s access to essential supplies constitutes a blatant violation of international law,” the ministry said, adding that the decision jeopardizes the efforts to establish a lasting cease-fire in Gaza.
The ministry continued by saying that the international community must take immediate action to secure unhindered delivery of humanitarian aid to Gaza and ensure that Israel fulfills its obligations.
Israel halted the entry of aid trucks into Gaza on Sunday, intensifying a standoff over the six-week truce, while Hamas urged Egyptian and Qatari mediators to step in.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office said earlier that it had adopted a proposal by U.S. President Donald Trump's envoy, Steve Witkoff, for a temporary cease-fire in Gaza for the Ramadan and Passover periods, hours after the first phase of the previously agreed cease-fire expired.
If agreed, the truce would halt fighting until the end of the Ramadan fasting period around March 31 and the Jewish Passover holiday around April 20.
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 cease-fire.
Hamas says it is committed to the originally agreed cease-fire that had been scheduled to move into a second phase, with negotiations aimed at a permanent end to the war, and it has rejected the idea of a temporary extension to the 42-day truce.
