JERUSALEM/ANKARA

Israel is heading toward a major diplomatic breakdown as famine spreads in Gaza, the daily Yedioth Ahronoth reported on Friday.

The newspaper revealed that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s government ignored mounting international warnings about an unfolding humanitarian catastrophe in the besieged Palestinian enclave.

The report states that on March 2, Israel’s Security Cabinet made a decision to halt the entry of food aid into Gaza. This move came despite clear assessments from Israel’s own security establishment about the worsening famine, as well as urgent warnings from Gen. Ghassan Alian, the coordinator of Government Activities in the Territories, and several international relief organizations.

Unnamed political and security sources told the Yedioth Ahronoth that the decision “was not rooted in strategic considerations but was driven by political pressure from National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir and Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich,” both known for their far-right policies.

The daily noted that the Israeli government was fully aware Gaza was “on the brink of famine,” yet continued to block aid entry endangering the lives of countless Palestinian civilians.

The EU reportedly issued a stern warning to Israel regarding the consequences of the deepening crisis, even hinting at suspending its partnership agreement with Tel Aviv.

This came after a similar warning from the administration of US President Donald Trump, a staunch supporter of Israel, urging Netanyahu to act, while the prime minister "wasted time and hesitated to make decisions," the report added.

Yedioth Ahronoth concluded that “Israel has steered itself into both a humanitarian disaster in Gaza and an impending diplomatic collapse on the global stage.”

Rejecting international calls for a ceasefire, the Israeli army has pursued a brutal offensive on Gaza since Oct. 7, 2023, killing more than 60,000 Palestinians, most of them women and children. The relentless bombardment has destroyed the enclave and led to food shortages.

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.