Trucks carrying humanitarian aid line up on the Egyptian side of the Rafah border crossing with the Gaza Strip on March 2, 2025, after Israel suspended the entry of supplies into the Palestinian enclave.
The recent decision by Israel to block all aid from entering Gaza has sparked immense global backlash. This move, deemed a war crime by international humanitarian law, has raised concerns about the well-being of the people living in the Palestinian enclave.
On Sunday, the Israeli government halted the entry of all food and other humanitarian assistance into the decimated Gaza territory after the first phase of Israel’s ceasefire agreement with Hamas expired. This decision has been met with strong criticism from humanitarian organizations and world leaders.
Volker Türk, the United Nations’ High Commissioner for Human Rights, stated that Israel’s 16-month military campaign in Gaza has caused immense destruction and has torn apart the social and physical fabric of the region. He stressed the need for a lasting ceasefire and a solution that upholds human rights, including the right to self-determination and accountability for all parties involved.
UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer also condemned Israel’s decision in the House of Commons, stating that it was “completely wrong and should not be supported.” He called for an increase in aid to Gaza, which is in desperate need of assistance.
The first phase of the ceasefire, which took place on January 19, allowed for humanitarian groups to bring a significantly larger amount of aid into Gaza. However, aid workers and Hamas officials have claimed that Israel did not allow the agreed-upon number of trucks in, with aid coalition Oxfam stating that the amount was “a drop in the ocean.” Israeli officials have denied these accusations.
The World Food Program (WFP) has reported that the ceasefire allowed them to reach a million Palestinians with food assistance, including restocking bakeries and providing nutrition packs to vulnerable groups such as children and pregnant and breastfeeding women. However, due to the extensive destruction of infrastructure and agricultural land, millions of Palestinians are now homeless and jobless. The WFP has also started providing cash assistance to help revive the local economy.
Despite the progress made during the first phase of the ceasefire, the WFP has expressed concern about the recent blockage of aid by Israel. They are urgently seeking clarification from Israeli authorities and have warned that the threat of starvation could return quickly if the agreement collapses.
Hamas has called for negotiations to continue the second phase of the ceasefire, which was supposed to start a month ago. This phase would involve the release of remaining hostages by Hamas in exchange for Israeli troops’ withdrawal from Gaza and a lasting ceasefire. However, Israel has supported a new proposal by the United States, which would extend the ceasefire through Ramadan and Passover. This proposal requires Hamas to release half of the remaining hostages on the first day and the rest upon reaching an agreement on a permanent ceasefire, according to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
Netanyahu has stated that there will be no free lunches and that Israel will not allow Hamas to benefit from the first phase of the ceasefire without releasing the remaining hostages. Israel’s decision to cut off aid to Palestinians in hopes of pressuring Hamas to accept the new proposal has been met with criticism from key mediators Egypt and Qatar, who have accused Israel of using starvation as a weapon of war. Hamas has also accused Israel of derailing the truce’s second phase. The cost of food in Gaza has already risen since the aid blockage, according to Doctors Without Borders.
Oxfam has strongly condemned Israel’s decision, stating that humanitarian aid should not be used as a bargaining chip. They have called it a reckless act of collective punishment, which is explicitly prohibited under international humanitarian law. The intentional deprivation of items necessary for survival, such as food and other relief, is considered a starvation-related war crime under the Geneva Conventions.
The intentional blockage of aid is also central to the International Criminal Court’s (ICC) November arrest warrants for Netanyahu and former defense minister Yoav Gallant, as well as South Africa’s case before the International Court of Justice accusing Israel of genocide. While the case is ongoing, the ICJ has ordered Israel to ensure an appropriate amount of aid is delivered to Gaza.
Global rights groups, including Human Rights Watch, Amnesty International, and the UN, have also concluded that Israel is committing genocide in Gaza. They stress that as an occupying power, Israel is obligated under international law to facilitate humanitarian relief, regardless of a truce. However,
