Humanitarian groups and some Arab nations, including mediators Qatar and Egypt, condemned Israel’s decision Sunday to halt the entry of all aid into war-battered Gaza.
The United Nations’ humanitarian chief, Tom Fletcher, described the move as “alarming,” saying that access to aid must be allowed under international law. Oxfam said aid is a “fundamental right” of civilians with urgent needs and “not a bargaining chip.”
Saudi Arabia said the “use of aid as a tool of extortion and collective punishment” violates international law. Qatar, a key negotiator in the ceasefire deal between Israel and Hamas, accused Israel of violating the agreement. Egypt and Jordan also sharply criticized Israel’s decision, which comes at the beginning of the holy month of Ramadan.
The first phase of the ceasefire ended Saturday without a resolution on what comes next. Talks on the second phase, which stipulates a full Israeli withdrawal from Gaza, did not materialize. Now, Israel is pushing for an extension of the first phase, calling it a “temporary ceasefire” for 50 days, which would bring the release of more hostages and negotiations for the next phase.
Hamas officials argue that it does not make sense to release more hostages — the group’s strongest leverage in talks — without Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu agreeing to withdraw from Gaza and to formally declare an end to the war. A former Egyptian official briefed on the talks told The Washington Post that Egypt, a mediator between Hamas and Israel, supports Hamas’s rejection of Israel’s temporary ceasefire proposal and is pushing to resume negotiations to reach the ceasefire’s second phase. The former official spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss sensitive diplomatic talks.
Hamas criticized Israel’s aid stoppage Sunday and accused it of reneging on the agreement. The only way to secure the release of more hostages is to “immediately enter into negotiations to begin the second phase,” Hamas said in a statement.
Here’s what else to know
- A 70-year-old man was killed and four others wounded in a stabbing attack Monday at a bus station in Haifa, Israeli police said, describing the incident as a terrorist attack. The assailant, an Israeli Druze citizen, was killed at the scene, police added. Hamas praised the attack and described it as a “natural response to the crimes of the occupation.”
- Far-right Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich said he would depart this evening for a visit to the United States at the request of Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent. In a statement, Smotrich also said Israel could cut off electricity and water to Gaza after the aid stoppage before “unleashing hell” on the Strip with a new offensive.
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Humanitarian groups, Arab nations condemn Israel for stopping aid to Gaza appeared first on Washington Post.
