March 3, 2025 (EIRNS)—There’s been much condemnation of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s decision to stop the flow of goods into Gaza in retaliation for Hamas rejecting a ceasefire extension, which Israel attributed to U.S. special envoy Steve Witkoff rather than negotiating phase 2 of the Gaza ceasefire agreement that took effect on Jan. 19 and expired on March 1. The foreign minister of Egypt, a key mediator in the conflict, accused Israel of using “starvation as a weapon” in “a flagrant and clear violation of humanitarian law,” reported AP. Saudi Arabia called Israel’s decision “a tool of extortion.”
Saying the ceasefire has saved countless lives, the International Committee of the Red Cross said that “any unraveling of the forward momentum created over the last six weeks risks plunging people back into despair,”
UN humanitarian chief Tom Fletcher called Israel’s decision “alarming,” noting that international humanitarian law makes clear that aid access must be allowed. Medical charity Médecins Sans Frontières (Doctors Without Borders, MSF) accused Israel of using aid as a bargaining chip, calling that “unacceptable” and “outrageous.”
Five non-governmental groups asked Israel’s Supreme Court for an interim order barring the state from preventing aid from entering Gaza, claiming the move violates Israel’s obligations under international law: “These obligations cannot be conditioned on political considerations.”
