Israel Halts Gaza Aid After Hamas Balks at New US Truce Idea
- Trump envoy Witkoff seeks extended quiet for Ramadan, Passover
- Hamas risks ‘further consequences’ in stalemate, Israel warns
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Israel halted all humanitarian aid and other imports to the war-shattered Gaza Strip as a six-week truce with Hamas expired on Sunday and the Iranian-backed Palestinian faction balked at a US bridging proposal to extend the suspension of hostilities.
The Israeli move drew sharp responses from Egypt and Qatar, mediators looking to extend the ceasefire. Aid shouldn’t be withheld “as a weapon” for starvation of civilians, they said in separate statements. Saudi Arabia’s foreign ministry echoed similar sentiments, saying the move wields aid as a “blackmailing and collective punishment tool.”