Israel Defends Gaza Aid Cutoff as Phase One Ends; 25,000 Food Trucks Were Supplied

Israel said Hamas coopts food and other aid so it can ‘be humanitarian,’ and with cease-fire talks broken down, it won’t supply any more.

Palestinian children attempt to pull packets of humanitarian aid from a truck as it drives through Rafah in the southern Gaza Strip after crossing through the Kerem Shalom crossing on Feb. 18, 2025. EYAD BABA/AFP via Getty Images

Israel defended its weekend cutoff of more humanitarian aid to Gaza as a necessary step to stop resources flowing to Hamas.

The spokesman for Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu noted that Israel has allowed in 4,200 food trucks per week, “enough for many, many months,” during the six-week cease-fire that ended on March 1.