Saudi Arabia accuses Israel of blackmail for blocking Gaza aid deliveries

Saudi Arabia on Sunday condemned Israel’s decision to block aid deliveries into the Gaza Strip.

Earlier on Sunday, Israel had suspended the entry of all goods and supplies into Gaza after the Palestinian militant group Hamas rejected a US-backed plan for a temporary ceasefire during Ramadan and Passover.

This decision came after the first phase of a truce agreement between Israel and Hamas ended at the weekend.

Reacting to the development, Saudi Arabia described Israel’s decision as “blackmail,” as talks to extend a fragile truce in the war appeared to have reached an impasse.

The Israeli decision “to stop the entry of humanitarian aid into the Gaza Strip, and its use as a tool of blackmail and collective punishment… is a flagrant violation of international law and a direct violation of the rules of international humanitarian law,” read a statement from the foreign ministry, as cited by the official Saudi Press Agency.

The statement also urged the international community to “stop these serious Israeli violations.”

Meanwhile, Hamas stated on Sunday that Israel’s decision to suspend shipments of goods and supplies into Gaza had further complicated the situation.