Arab states, the United Nations and rights groups issued condemnations Sunday of Israel’s decision to halt the flow of humanitarian aid into the Gaza Strip, though the US was supportive, after the first phase of Israel’s hostage-ceasefire deal with Hamas lapsed with the terror group yet to commit to freeing any more of its captives.

Israel said Sunday it had stopped allowing any new aid to flow into the Strip, with Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar saying Jerusalem was “implementing a principle of ‘no free meals'” and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu explaining that Hamas “steals the supplies and prevents the people of Gaza from getting them.”

According to Hebrew media reports, Israel believes that enough aid is already in Gaza to last the enclave several months.

Announcing the halt to the aid, Israel called for an extension of the deal’s now-expired first phase through the end of Passover on April 19.

According to this plan — which the US said it would support, though it did not confirm Netanyahu’s contention that it was originally presented by the White House — half of the remaining hostages, living and dead, would be released on the first day of the extended ceasefire, and the remaining captives would be released at the end of the period if a permanent ceasefire is reached.

“Israel has negotiated in good faith since the beginning of this administration to ensure the release of hostages held captive by Hamas terrorists. We will support their decision on next steps, given Hamas has indicated it’s no longer interested in a negotiated ceasefire,” said White House National Security Council spokesperson Brian Hughes, in a statement.

Senior Hamas official Mahmoud Mardawi rejected the extended-phase-one proposal on Sunday, telling Qatari network Al Jazeera that the Palestinian terror group would only release the remaining Israeli hostages under the terms of the already agreed-upon phased deal.

Mardawi’s comments drew a quick rebuke from the European Union, which condemned Hamas for rejecting the proposal.

In a statement from its External Action Service,........

© The Times of Israel