Hours after the Hamas group accused Israel of delaying the delivery of aid to Gaza, Israel denied the accusations, saying that it was "fake news".
Two Hamas officials on Wednesday (Jan 29) accused Israel of delaying the delivery of aid to Gaza and warned that it could impact the release of hostages held since the October 7 attack.
“We warn that continued delays and failure to address these points (delivery of key aid) will affect the natural progression of the agreement, including the prisoner exchange,” a senior Hamas official told AFP, on condition of anonymity.
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Another Hamas official said that Israel is failing to send key items, including fuel, tents, heavy machinery, and other equipment into the Gaza Strip, as agreed for the first stage of the agreement.
“According to the agreement, these materials were supposed to enter during the first week of the ceasefire,” the senior Hamas official said.
The officials also said that they raised the issue during an ongoing meeting with Egyptian mediators in Cairo on Wednesday morning.
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Israel calls it 'fake news'
Israel denied the claims made by Hamas officials of causing delays to aid deliveries into the Gaza Strip.
"It's totally fake news," a spokesperson for COGAT, an Israeli defence ministry agency that oversees civilian affairs in the Palestinian territories, said.
Moreover, contradicting the Hamas accusations, Channel 12 news reported that over 3,000 aid trucks have already entered the Gaza Strip since the beginning of the week.
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Under the first phase of the ceasefire, 4,200 trucks are meant to enter per week, putting Israel ahead of schedule.
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(With inputs from agencies)