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Today's Paper | March 16, 2026

Published 08 Mar, 2025 08:45pm

Hamas says Gaza aid block impacts Israeli hostages

Hamas accused Israel Saturday of “committing the war crime of collective punishment” by halting aid to Gaza for a seventh day, saying it also impacted Israeli hostages still held there.

A statement from the group said Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s government was “committing the war crime of collective punishment against over two million Palestinian civilians through starvation and the deprivation of basic life necessities for the seventh consecutive day”.

“The repercussions of such crime extend beyond our people in Gaza to include the occupation’s prisoners (Israeli captives) held by the resistance, who are also affected by the lack of food, medicine and healthcare.”

Hamas said that Netanyahu “bears full responsibility” for the consequences of the aid block and accused him of “indifference” towards the hostages held in Gaza.

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