TEL AVIV, Israel — Israel confronted sharp criticism on Sunday because it stopped the entry of all meals and different provides into Gaza on Sunday and warned of “further penalties” if Hamas would not settle for a brand new proposal to increase a fragile ceasefire.
The international minister of Egypt, a key mediator within the battle, accused Israel of utilizing “hunger as a weapon” in “a flagrant and clear violation of humanitarian regulation.” Saudi Arabia referred to as Israel’s choice “a device of extortion.”
Hamas accused Israel of attempting to derail the ceasefire hours after its first part had ended and referred to as Israel’s choice to chop off assist “a conflict crime and a blatant assault” on a truce that took a yr of negotiations earlier than taking maintain in January.
The primary part noticed a surge in humanitarian assist after months of rising starvation. It expired on Saturday. Within the second part, Hamas may launch dozens of remaining hostages in return for an Israeli pullout from Gaza and a long-lasting ceasefire. Negotiations on the second part had been meant to begin a month in the past however have not begun.
Israel mentioned Sunday {that a} new U.S. proposal requires extending the ceasefire’s first part by means of Ramadan – the Muslim holy month that started over the weekend – and the Jewish Passover vacation, which ends on April 20.
Beneath that proposal, Hamas would launch half the hostages on the primary day and the remaining when an settlement is reached on a everlasting ceasefire, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu mentioned. The militants presently maintain 59 hostages, 35 of them believed to be useless.
Vehicles line up on the Egyptian aspect of the Rafah border crossing between Egypt and the Gaza Strip after Israel blocked the entry of assist vehicles into Gaza, Sunday, March 2, 2025.
AP Photograph/Mohamed Arafat
Saying the ceasefire has saved numerous lives, the Worldwide Committee of the Purple Cross mentioned that “any unraveling of the ahead momentum created during the last six weeks dangers plunging folks again into despair.”
U.N. humanitarian chief Tom Fletcher referred to as Israel’s choice “alarming,” noting that worldwide humanitarian regulation makes clear that assist entry should be allowed. Medical charity MSF accused Israel of utilizing assist as a bargaining chip, calling that “unacceptable” and “outrageous.”
5 non-governmental teams requested Israel’s Supreme Courtroom for an interim order barring the state from stopping assist from coming into Gaza, claiming the transfer violates Israel’s obligations underneath worldwide regulation: “These obligations can’t be situation on political concerns.”
The U.S. had no speedy remark, and it wasn’t clear when U.S. envoy Steve Witkoff, who was anticipated to go to the area final week, would arrive.
Netanyahu mentioned Israel is absolutely coordinated with the Trump administration and the ceasefire will solely proceed so long as Hamas retains releasing hostages.
The conflict has left most of Gaza’s inhabitants of over 2 million depending on worldwide assist. About 600 assist vehicles had entered every day because the ceasefire started on Jan. 19, easing fears of famine raised by worldwide consultants.
However residents mentioned costs shot up as phrase of the closure unfold.
From the closely destroyed Jabaliya city refugee camp, Fayza Nassar mentioned the closure would worsen dire circumstances.
“There can be famine and chaos,” she mentioned.
Hamas warned that any try and delay or cancel the ceasefire settlement would have “humanitarian penalties” for the hostages. The one strategy to free them is thru the present deal, the group mentioned.
Palestinians sit at a big desk surrounded by the rubble of destroyed buildings as they collect for iftar, the fast-breaking meal, on first day of Ramadan in Rafah, March 1, 2025
AP Photograph/Abdel Kareem Hana
Israel was accused of blocking assist all through the conflict
Israel imposed a siege on Gaza within the conflict’s opening days and solely eased it underneath U.S. strain. U.N. businesses and assist teams accused Israel of not facilitating sufficient assist throughout 15 months of conflict.
The Worldwide Prison Courtroom mentioned there was cause to imagine Israel had used “hunger as a technique of warfare” when it issued an arrest warrant for Netanyahu final yr. The allegation can also be central to South Africa’s case on the Worldwide Courtroom of Justice accusing Israel of genocide.
Israel has denied the accusations. It says it has allowed in sufficient assist and blamed shortages on what it referred to as the U.N.’s lack of ability to distribute it. It additionally accused Hamas of siphoning off assist.
Kenneth Roth, former head of Human Rights Watch, mentioned Israel as an occupying energy has an “absolute responsibility” to facilitate humanitarian assist underneath the Geneva Conventions, and referred to as Israel’s choice “a resumption of the war-crime hunger technique” that led to the ICC warrant.
The conflict started when Hamas-led militants stormed into southern Israel on Oct. 7, 2023, killing some 1,200 folks, largely civilians, and taking 251 hostage.
Israel’s offensive has killed over 48,000 Palestinians, based on Gaza’s Well being Ministry. It says greater than half of these killed had been ladies and kids. It doesn’t specify how lots of the useless had been combatants.
Israeli bombardment pounded massive areas of Gaza to rubble and displaced some 90% of the inhabitants.
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This story has been corrected to indicate that 35 of the remaining hostages are believed to be useless, not 32.
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Magdy reported from Cairo. Related Press writers Ellen Knickmeyer in Washington and Josef Federman in Jerusalem contributed to this report.
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