**Israel Blocks Humanitarian Aid to Gaza**
Several Arab countries and the UN have condemned Israel for blocking all humanitarian aid from entering the Gaza Strip. Egypt and Qatar said that Israel’s move on Sunday violated the ceasefire agreement, while UN humanitarian chief Tom Fletcher called it “alarming”.
The Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, said that his country took action because Hamas stole supplies and used them to fund its terror machine. He also accused Hamas of rejecting a US proposal to extend a ceasefire in Gaza after it expired on Saturday.
**Ceasefire Agreement**
The ceasefire agreement ended 15 months of fighting between Hamas terrorists and Israeli soldiers. It allowed the release of about 1,900 Palestinian prisoners in exchange for 33 Israeli hostages. The agreement was mediated by Qatar and Egypt.
Qatar’s Foreign Ministry strongly condemned Israel’s decision, calling it a “clear violation of the ceasefire accord” and “international human rights law”. Egypt accused Israel of using starvation against Palestinians as a weapon.
**UN Concern**
Tom Fletcher, UN Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs, wrote on social media that international humanitarian law is clear: We must be allowed access to deliver vital lifesaving aid. He added that the blockage of aid is putting thousands of lives at risk.
**Hamas Response**
A Hamas spokesperson said Israel’s blocking of the Gaza Strip was “cheap extortion” and a coup against the ceasefire accord. Hamas denied earlier stealing humanitarian aid from Gaza.
**Negotiations**
The first phase of ceasefire began on January 19, but negotiations on phase two have only just begun. Phase three will see the return of all dead hostages’ bodies and the reconstruction of Gaza. This is expected to take many years.
Aid agencies confirmed that no trucks were allowed into Gaza since Sunday. Humanitarian aid must continue to flow to Gaza, according to the World Food Programme. The medical community reported four people killed in Israeli attacks on Gaza on Sunday.
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