LONDON 

The Dutch foreign minister has expressed concern over the Israeli decision to block all entry of humanitarian aid to the Gaza Strip, stressing humanitarian aid "must not be used as leverage."

"I have expressed my concern to Israeli authorities about news they are halting humanitarian aid to Gaza," Caspar Veldkamp said on X on Sunday.

He said he fully supports the immediate release of all remaining hostages, adding: "The Netherlands urges all parties to fully implement the ceasefire agreement and stresses the importance of international humanitarian law."

His remarks came after Israel’s decision to halt aid shipments just hours after the first phase of the ceasefire and prisoner swap agreement between Hamas and Tel Aviv expired.

Earlier, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office announced that “as of this morning, entry of all goods and supplies to the Gaza Strip be halted.”

The first six-week phase of the truce agreement, which took effect on Jan. 19, officially ended Saturday at midnight.

Israel, however, has not agreed to move forward to the second phase of the deal to permanently end the war in Gaza which has killed more than 48,000 people, mostly women and children, and left the enclave in ruins.

Last November, the International Criminal Court issued arrest warrants for Netanyahu and his former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant for war crimes and crimes against humanity in Gaza.

Israel also faces a genocide case at the International Court of Justice for its war on the enclave.