Saudi Arabia, Egypt condemn Israel for blocking aid entry into Gaza
TEHRAN (Iran News) Egypt and Saudi Arabia have condemned Israel for cutting off the entry of goods and supplies into the Gaza Strip as the first phase of a ceasefire deal with Hamas expired.
The foreign ministries of Saudi Arabia and Egypt issued separate statements on Sunday after Israel stopped humanitarian aid into the besieged territory to pressure Hamas to accept a proposal made by the United States to extend the ceasefire agreement’s first phase that expired a day earlier.
Egypt, which alongside the U.S. and Qatar has mediated the Gaza ceasefire deal, said that the Israeli measure to block aid was a clear violation of the agreement and international humanitarian law, according to Palestine’s Sama news agency.
The Egyptian Foreign Ministry also said that Israel’s use of starvation policy against Palestinian civilians and putting pressure on them through imposing a blockade are unjustified and unacceptable.
The ministry called on the international community to fulfill its responsibility to stop illegal and inhumane measures against civilian lives, and to condemn any attempt aimed at misusing humanitarian conditions for political purposes.
Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs also condemned Israel’s halt of humanitarian aid into Gaza to use it as a tool for extortion and collective punishment.
This action, the ministry said, is a blatant violation of international law and a direct infringement of the rules of international humanitarian law, according to the official Saudi Press Agency (SPA).
Riyadh renewed calls on the international community to stop these actions, activate international accountability mechanisms, and ensure that Palestinians in Gaza have sustainable access to aid.
- source : irna
