Israeli Finance Minister announces total blockade of Gaza supplies
Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich declared he would not allow “even a grain of wheat” into the Gaza Strip. His statement came amid reports that Israeli military officials had been considering a partial resumption of humanitarian aid deliveries.
Humanitarian shipments to Gaza were completely suspended on March 2 following the end of the first phase of a temporary ceasefire and prisoner exchange agreement. The blockade of fuel and food deliveries has forced the shutdown of bakeries and other vital services.
According to humanitarian organizations, approximately 2.3 million Gaza residents are facing famine-level conditions. The situation is especially dire in the northern part of the enclave, where food supplies have nearly run out.
Earlier reports from Israeli sources suggested a possible partial easing of the blockade, but the finance minister’s remarks indicate that the government is maintaining a hardline stance. Smotrich, a key figure in the far-right faction, holds a central role in Israel’s economic policy.
The international community continues to call for the immediate reopening of humanitarian corridors and access to basic food and medicine for the civilian population.
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