On Sunday, the Israeli military kicked off a series of limited 10-hour breaks in hostilities throughout three regions of Gaza to allow aid to flow in.
“Just to be clear: Israel is all for delivering aid to civilians, but not for Hamas. The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) remain focused on ensuring humanitarian support reaches the people of Gaza,” stated BG Effie Defrin, a spokesperson for the IDF, during an official address.
Significance of the Pause
International pressure has been building on Israel to enable more aid access to Gaza, especially with increasing reports highlighting dire conditions and widespread starvation among the Palestinian population.
For many months, humanitarian organizations have alerted that Gaza is on the brink of famine. Israel controls the entry points for aid and has heavily restricted access, only tightening these restrictions even more since a ceasefire collapsed back in March; no aid was permitted between March and mid-May.
This tactical pause follows disturbing events just days earlier, where Israeli forces reportedly killed around 100 Palestinians during multiple incidents at the Zikim crossing in northern Gaza, while individuals were seeking food aid. The military claimed warning shots were fired to disperse the crowd due to an ‘immediate threat.’
Key Information to Note
The IDF revealed it has established a “tactical pause” in three specific locations in Gaza: Deir al-Balah, Gaza City, and Muwasi. These pauses last from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. and are intended to facilitate the delivery of humanitarian supplies.
Furthermore, a schedule has been set to establish “designated secure routes” daily from 6 a.m. to 11 p.m. to ensure safe transport for UN and other humanitarian aid convoys distributing food and medical supplies throughout Gaza.
Additionally, Israel resorted to food airdrops, starting on Saturday night with around 25 tons of supplies sent in, including “7 pallets of offerings filled with flour, sugar, and canned goods,” according to a Saturday update from the IDF.
Defrin mentioned on Sunday, “We are organizing aid access every day. This week alone, over 250 trucks were allowed in, coordinated and approved by Israel.”
The UN World Food Programme (WFP) expressed its approval of the developments on Sunday, revealing it has sufficient food to support the entire population of 2.1 million people in Gaza for nearly three months.
Since May, humanitarian distribution in Gaza has been overseen by the U.S. and the Israel-supported Gaza Humanitarian Fund, where tragedies have occurred amid the delivery efforts. The UN estimates that since May, over 1,000 Palestinians have lost their lives while attempting to access food.
According to the WFP, reports signal a sharp surge in severe malnutrition cases, with nearly a third of families in Gaza missing meals for an extended period, and one in five children suffering from malnutrition, as stated by Philippe Lazzarini from the UN Refugee Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA).
Israel continues to deny claims of forced starvation in Gaza. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu addressed this in May, asserting that there’s no starvation, supporting his statement by claiming Israel takes numerous prisoners from Gaza for photographing purposes—even challenging the absence of obvious signs of starvation among released individuals.
In a statement from the IDF on Saturday, it was declared that “There is no starvation in Gaza; this narrative is a fabricated campaign by Hamas.”
Despite the steps being taken, combats have persisted in Gaza without progress towards a ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas. Recent reports suggest the Trump administration halted ceasefire talks, citing Hamas’s apparent disinterest in reaching an agreement. Following the attack on October 7, 2023, it is noted that Hamas still holds approximately 50 hostages.
Reactions Echoing Around
Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu, according to the Associated Press, commented: “No matter the route taken, minor humanitarian supplies will still need to enter from our side.”
The WFP, via an X post on Sunday, emphasized: “Right now, food aid is the primary means for so many in Gaza to eat. A third of the populace endures hunger, and about 470,000 individuals are facing famine-like conditions. Urgent nutritional treatment is a must for approximately 90,000 women and children—all while lives are lost due to shortage of assistance.”
David Lammy, the UK’s Foreign Secretary stated recently: “The level of humanitarian suffering in Gaza has plunged to unprecedented lows. The Prime Minister has noted plans involving Jordan to aid Gaza logistics and evacuate children needing critical medical care to the UK. Today’s declaration of a temporary military pause by the IDF to facilitate humanitarian corridors for aid redistribution is crucial but long awaited.”
Bushra Khalidi from Oxfam remarked on Sunday: “The combination of lethal airdrops and limited truck deliveries will not reverse the months of engineered starvation afflicting Gaza. What’s truly required is immediate availability of all crossing points for unhindered and secure aid delivery across Gaza, and a lasting ceasefire; otherwise this remains merely a strategic show.”
Save the Children International shared via X: “Israel’s ‘tactical pause’ may offer some relief to children in Gaza, but days of aid are not a solution—the dire reality involves 133 deaths from malnutrition and starvation, 87 of who are children. We urgently need a comprehensive ceasefire and continuous aid, as our supplies are ready to deploy.”
The Road Ahead
Currently, the tactical pause is set to remain until further updates. Negotiations for peace between Hamas and Israel are still at a standstill.
