Israel Halts Aid to Gaza Following Cease-Fire Expiration
On March 2, just hours after a cease-fire and prisoner exchange agreement ended, Israel suspended the entry of goods into Gaza, a region devastated by prolonged bombardment. Over 2 million Palestinians are struggling with extreme shortages of essential supplies.
“We expressed our deep concern about the restriction of goods and aid into Gaza and urged Israel to uphold its international obligations by ensuring the swift, safe, and unrestricted flow of humanitarian assistance,” said Deschauer on Monday.
The International Criminal Court previously accused Israel of using “starvation as a method of warfare” in issuing an arrest warrant for Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu last year, a charge Israel has denied.
Deschauer also called on Hamas to “put an end to the suffering of the remaining hostages and release them in accordance with the cease-fire agreement.”
Hamas condemned Israel’s move, calling the electricity cutoff “a desperate attempt to pressure our people through unacceptable blackmail tactics,” as reported by Al Jazeera.
Meanwhile, an Israeli delegation traveled to Doha on Monday for renewed cease-fire negotiations. Mediators from Egypt, Qatar, and the United States are facilitating the talks between Israel and Hamas.
A six-week cease-fire was previously agreed upon just before Donald Trump’s inauguration as U.S. president. While Israel seeks to extend the first phase of the agreement—primarily concerning hostage exchanges—without committing to ending the conflict, Hamas is pushing for discussions on the second phase, which could set the stage for a permanent cease-fire.
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