‘Blatant violation of law’: Pakistan condemns Israel for blocking Gaza aid

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Tuesday slammed Israel for blocking the delivery of humanitarian aid to Gaza, saying there could be “no greater oppression” than this.
Israel blocked the entry of aid trucks into Gaza on Sunday as a standoff over the truce that has halted fighting for the past six weeks escalated. The blockade is likely to add significant pressure on the two million Palestinians who are still suffering from shortages of essential goods following 16 months of war.
Speaking at a special meeting of the federal cabinet, Sharif said the month of Ramadan teaches Muslims to serve humanity and be kind to people who are less privileged, and requires them to express solidarity with Palestine, where Israel’s war had killed more than 50,000 people.
“I believe there can be no greater oppression than blocking food and aid supplies to Gaza in Ramadan despite a ceasefire,” he said. “We are to raise our voice on this.”
Sharif’s statement came hours after Pakistan’s foreign office criticized Israel for blocking humanitarian aid to Gaza, calling it a blatant violation of law and urging the international community to hold the Jewish state accountable for collectively punishing millions of civilians. 
“This latest action is part of Israel’s systematic campaign to deny much needed humanitarian aid to millions of Palestinians in dire need. This constitutes yet another blatant violation of international law by the occupying power and could imperil the ceasefire agreement,” it said.
Israel, while announcing the halt to aid entry, said it will not allow a ceasefire without the release of all remaining hostages. Hamas has denounced Israel’s move as “blackmail” and a “blatant coup against the agreement.”
Israel’s war on Gaza began after Hamas’ attack on southern Israel on Oct.7, 2023, which killed 1,200 people and over 200 others were taken into Gaza as hostages. The subsequent Israeli campaign killed around 50,000 Palestinians and displaced almost all of Gaza’s 2 million population, leaving the territory a wasteland.
Both sides agreed to an uneasy, six-week truce on Jan. 19 which paved the way for the release of hostages from both sides. Israel’s move to block humanitarian aid to Gaza has renewed fears among the international community that the fighting could reignite.
“We also reiterate our call for the full implementation of the agreement to secure a permanent ceasefire in the Gaza as well as the revival of a political process to achieve the two-state solution,” the Pakistani foreign office said.

PESHAWAR: Overnight clashes between Pakistani and Afghan security forces at the main border crossing between the countries caused thousands of people to flee their homes but the situation had calmed down by Tuesday morning, residents and officials said.

The conflict started on Monday, the first working day of Ramadan, when food imports from Pakistan usually peak in Afghanistan.

Around 15,000 local residents fled to Landi Kotal due to the clashes, an official said. Afghan border guards had opened fire without warning, targeting government buildings and civilians, and causing widespread panic.

“The tensions between the two countries and continuous closure of the border has been causing multiple problems to the people of the border area. People are very poor and dependent on their businesses related to the border,” Ali Shinwari, who lives in the border town, told Reuters.

Relatives and tribesmen in a nearby town have been hosting dozens of relatives since the border closure, he added.

The Torkham crossing has been shut since February 21 due to a dispute over the construction of a border-area outpost by Afghanistan, Pakistani officials said on condition of anonymity.

Pakistan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs did not immediately respond to a request for a comment.

The Taliban-run Afghan Interior Ministry said on Monday one Taliban fighter was killed and two injured, while Pakistani security officials reported that members of their forces had also been wounded.

The Torkham crossing is the main transit artery for travelers and goods between Pakistan and landlocked Afghanistan. Trade between the countries was worth over $1.6 billion in 2024, according to Pakistan’s foreign office.

The closure has stranded 5,000 trucks filled with essential goods and caused at least $15 million in losses, said Yousaf Afridi, president of the Chamber of Commerce and Industries for Pakistan’s Khyber district where the Torkham crossing is located.