Humanitarian aid trucks bound for Gaza were turned back to Egypt on Sunday after Israel halted all food and supply deliveries, intensifying tensions over a fragile ceasefire. Israel warned of “additional consequences” if Hamas failed to accept a new truce extension, while Egypt accused Israel of using starvation as a weapon.
“Each party must implement its obligations. The use of aid as a weapon of collective punishment and starvation must not, cannot, or should not be allowed,” said Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty, calling the move a violation of international humanitarian law.
The ceasefire’s first phase, which began on January 19, saw a surge in aid deliveries. The second phase is meant to secure the release of remaining hostages in exchange for an Israeli withdrawal and a permanent ceasefire, but negotiations have stalled. Hamas called Israel’s aid cutoff “a war crime and blatant attack” on the truce.
The International Committee of the Red Cross warned that unraveling the ceasefire could push Gaza’s population of over two million back into crisis. Meanwhile, U.N. humanitarian chief Tom Fletcher called Israel’s decision “alarming,” while MSF condemned it as “unacceptable, outrageous.”
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Israel was prepared to resume fighting if talks proved unproductive, adding that the government was fully aligned with President Donald Trump’s administration. Meanwhile, Gaza residents reported food prices doubling as the blockade took effect, raising fears of renewed humanitarian catastrophe.
Source: Africanews
