"Will not let a single grain of wheat enter Gaza": Israeli Finance Minister Smotrich

Israeli far-right Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich said on Monday that he will not allow "a single grain of wheat" to enter the besieged Gaza Strip. This comment was reported by the Israeli daily Yedioth Ahronoth. Israel has kept Gaza's border crossings closed since early March, halting the entry of humanitarian, relief, and medical aid. According to local governments and human rights organizations, this has created an unprecedented humanitarian crisis in Gaza.

UNICEF reported that 21 malnutrition treatment centers in Gaza have been shut down due to Israel's violent military operations. This blockade is part of a new offensive launched in Gaza on March 18, which has so far killed nearly 1,400 people and injured more than 3,400, even though a ceasefire and prisoner exchange agreement was in effect at the time. Smotrich stated that he prioritizes defeating Hamas over returning Israeli hostages from Gaza.

Last week, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu pledged to escalate attacks in Gaza, at a time when efforts are underway to displace Palestinians from Gaza in accordance with a plan by US President Donald Trump. The Israeli aggression that began in October 2023 has killed more than 50,700 Palestinians in Gaza so far, the majority of whom are women and children.

The International Criminal Court (ICC) issued arrest warrants last November for Netanyahu and his former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant for war crimes and crimes against humanity in Gaza. A genocide case is also ongoing against Israel at the International Court of Justice (ICJ) over the war waged in Gaza.