Saudi Arabia condemns Israel’s halt of humanitarian aid to Gaza as ‘flagrant violation’

ISTANBUL 

Saudi Arabia on Sunday condemned Israel’s decision to block humanitarian aid to Gaza, calling it “an instrument of blackmail and collective punishment” and a “flagrant violation of international law.”

This came following Israel’s decision to halt aid shipments just hours after the first phase of the ceasefire and prisoner swap agreement between Hamas and Tel Aviv expired, and Israel’s obstruction of negotiations for the second phase.

Earlier, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office announced that “as of this morning, entry of all goods and supplies to the Gaza Strip be halted.”

Netanyahu’s stance drew sharp criticism from families of hostages and politicians. Yair Golan, leader of the Israeli opposition Democratic Party, accused Netanyahu’s government of evading negotiations on the second phase of the agreement.

In a statement, the Saudi Foreign Ministry said: “The Kingdom condemns and denounces the decision by the Israeli occupation government to halt humanitarian aid to Gaza, using it as a tool of blackmail and collective punishment.”

The statement emphasized that the decision constitutes a “flagrant violation of international law and a direct assault on the principles of international humanitarian law amid the ongoing humanitarian crisis faced by the Palestinian people.”

In response to the aid suspension, Palestinian group Hamas called the move “cheap blackmail, a war crime, and a blatant coup against the ceasefire agreement.”

Hamas urged mediators and the global community to “pressure the (Israeli) occupation and stop its punitive and immoral actions against more than 2 million people in Gaza.”

The first six-week phase of the ceasefire agreement, which took effect on Jan. 19, officially ended at midnight on Saturday. However, Israel has not agreed to move forward to the second phase of the deal to bring an end to the war in Gaza.

Netanyahu had sought to extend the initial exchange phase to secure the release of as many Israeli captives as possible without offering anything in return or fulfilling the military and humanitarian obligations of the agreement.

Hamas has refused to proceed under these conditions, insisting that Israel abide by the terms of the ceasefire and immediately start negotiations for the second phase, which includes a full Israeli withdrawal from Gaza and a complete halt to the war.

The ceasefire agreement has halted Israel’s genocidal war on Gaza, which has killed more than 48,380 victims, mostly women and children, and left the enclave in ruins.

Last November, the International Criminal Court issued arrest warrants for Netanyahu and his former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant for war crimes and crimes against humanity in Gaza.

Israel also faces a genocide case at the International Court of Justice for its war on the enclave.

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