Baghdad: The Turkish Foreign Ministry condemned Israel’s prevention of humanitarian aid to the Gaza Strip. The ministry stated in a statement that the Israeli government’s obstruction of the entry of basic needs for Palestinians into the Strip is a violation of international law and risks efforts to ensure the sustainability of the ceasefire in Gaza.

According to National Iraqi News Agency, the Turkish Foreign Ministry emphasized that Israel’s prevention of aid to Gaza aims to “collectively punish the Palestinian people.” The ministry called on the international community to take urgent action to deliver humanitarian aid to Gaza without interruption and to ensure that Israel fulfills its obligations.

Between October 7, 2023, and January 19, 2025, Israel, with American support, reportedly committed acts in Gaza that resulted in over 160,000 Palestinians being either dead or wounded, with a significant number being children and women. Additionally, more than 14,000 individuals remain missing.

The recent developments follow Israel’s reneging on a ceasefire and prisoner exchange agreement with Hamas. Last Saturday, Israel claimed that Hamas refused to respond to an American proposal for a temporary ceasefire during Ramadan and the Jewish Passover holiday. Consequently, Israel decided to halt the entry of humanitarian aid into Gaza as of Sunday.

Hamas, on the other hand, asserts its commitment to the agreement, demanding that Israel adhere to it and urging mediators to promptly begin negotiations for the second phase. Hamas has described Israel’s decision to block aid as “cheap blackmail, a war crime, and a blatant coup against the agreement.”