Hamas reaffirms stance of not extending phase 1 ceasefire

In an interview with Al Jazeera, Mr. Mardawi affirmed that Hamas will only release the remaining Israeli hostages under the terms of the agreed phased agreement.

* In another move, United Nations (UN) Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on the same day called on Israel to "immediately" end its actions blocking the flow of aid into the Gaza Strip.

In a post on social media X, the UN said Mr. Guterres urged all parties involved to do their utmost to prevent a recurrence of conflict in Gaza, stressing that humanitarian aid must be restored immediately and hostages must be released.

For its part, the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) also criticized Israel's "alarming" decision, accusing the move of going against international law.

Meanwhile, the Egyptian Foreign Ministry issued a statement criticizing Israel's move as a "blatant violation" of the ceasefire agreement with Hamas, which Cairo played a mediating role.

“Egypt condemns the Israeli government’s decision to block humanitarian aid deliveries into the Gaza Strip and close the crossings used for humanitarian relief efforts,” the statement said, adding that Cairo also accused Tel Aviv of using famine as a “weapon against the Palestinian people.”

Sharing the same view with Egypt, Saudi Arabia condemned Israel's decision, calling it an act of blackmail as fragile ceasefire negotiations appeared to be at a standstill.

The Saudi Arabian Foreign Ministry said in a statement that Israel's decision to "block humanitarian aid from entering the Gaza Strip and use it as a tool for blackmail and collective punishment... is a flagrant violation of international law and a direct violation of the rules of international humanitarian law," and called on the international community to "stop these serious violations by Israel."

Earlier in the day, Israel announced it was suspending all aid and supplies into the Gaza Strip, warning of “additional consequences” if Hamas did not accept a proposal to extend the ceasefire.

* Also on March 2, the European Union (EU) urged relevant parties to quickly resume negotiations on phase 2 of the ceasefire agreement in Gaza.

“A lasting ceasefire would contribute to the release of all remaining Israeli hostages and ensure the necessary conditions for the start of the recovery and reconstruction process in Gaza. All parties have a political responsibility to make this a reality,” said Anouar El Anouni, EU foreign affairs and security policy spokesman.

Mr. El Anouni also reiterated the EU’s call for “full, rapid, safe and unhindered access to large-scale humanitarian aid for Palestinians in need, while allowing and facilitating humanitarian personnel and international organizations to operate effectively and safely inside Gaza.”