Israel Blocks Gaza's Entry Assistance As A Form Of Pressure On Transfer Of Phase 2 Ceasefire Agreement

Children in refugee camps in Gaza are threatened with explosions and shrapnel from Israeli troops' attacks before the phase 1 ceasefire on December 9, 2024. (X @UNRWA)

JAKARTA - Israel has stopped the supply of food and goods from the international community for Palestinians in Gaza.

This blocking effort has come under fire from the United Nations (UN), the Arab League, and a number of humanitarian organizations. They considered Israel to have violated international law.

"Extortion equipment," said the Saudi Arabian Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Kamenlu), quoted from AP, Monday, March 3.

"Reckless collective penalties," said the international nonprofit organization that is concerned with the resistance to poverty and injustice, Oxfam.

Meanwhile, Egypt, which has been a conlic Israeli-Hamas mediator, accused Israel of using "fabricants as weapons".

Israel halted the entry of humanitarian aid into Gaza after Hamas rejected the US envoy to the Middle East's proposal, Steve Witkoff, in points of a ceasefire proposal.

The move was part of Israel's pressure on Hamas to agree to the points of the US ally's proposal, backed by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's Government to extend the first phase of the ceasefire instead of starting negotiations to continue the second phase.

In the second phase of the ceasefire, Hamas will release half of the hostages in exchange for the withdrawal of Israeli troops from Gaza and a permanent ceasefire agreement is reached.

Meanwhile, Steve Witkoff and Israel's desire to extend the phase of the first phase of the ceasefire to Ramadan and Easter or until April 20.