Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, a hardline right-winger, admitted on Monday that starvation is being used as a weapon against Palestinians, and that he will not allow even a single grain of wheat into the Gaza Strip.

Smotrich's remarks came in response to a report published by the Yedioth Ahronoth newspaper claiming that Israeli forces were preparing to resume the entry of aid into Gaza.

He added, "It's good that the war has started, and it's unfortunate that it started this way, but we are changing the reality in the Middle East."

On March 2, the occupation forces closed the Gaza Strip's crossings to all vital supplies, preventing the entry of humanitarian, relief, and medical aid into the Strip. This has led to an unprecedented deterioration in the humanitarian situation, according to local government and human rights reports.

Since October 7, 2023, Israel has been committing genocide in Gaza, leaving more than 166,000 dead and wounded, most of them children and women, and more than 11,000 missing.