DOHA, March 3 —Mediator Qatar yesterday accused Israel of violating a ceasefire deal in Gaza by halting aid to the Palestinian territory, as talks to continue the truce stalled.

"Qatar strongly condemns the decision of the Israeli occupation government to stop bringing humanitarian aid into the Gaza Strip, and considers it a blatant violation of the ceasefire agreement, (and) international humanitarian law,” the Gulf state’s foreign ministry said in a statement adding its "rejection of the use of food as a weapon of war”. — AFP