The Israeli military announced on Sunday the implementation of daily pauses in its operations across parts of Gaza, along with the opening of new aid corridors, following mounting international pressure over a deepening hunger crisis in the Palestinian enclave.
According to a military statement, Israel will suspend activity daily from 10am to 8pm in Al-Mawasi, Deir al-Balah, and Gaza City.
These areas have not seen renewed ground operations since March, when Israel resumed its offensive in Gaza. In addition, designated secure routes for humanitarian convoys delivering food and medical supplies will now be open from 6am to 11pm.
Egyptian state-affiliated broadcaster Al Qahera News reported on Sunday that aid convoys had started moving toward Gaza from Egypt. The development came just hours after Israel carried out aid airdrops, describing the move as part of its efforts to alleviate worsening humanitarian conditions in the territory.
Last Thursday, the United Nations reiterated that humanitarian pauses were essential for scaling up aid efforts in Gaza. The UN also criticized Israel for failing to offer sufficient alternative routes for aid convoys, which it said had severely hampered access to those in need.
International concern over the crisis has intensified, particularly as ceasefire negotiations between Israel, the United States, and Hamas appeared to stall on Friday. Officials from both Israel and the U.S. stated that Hamas showed no willingness to reach an agreement.
Aid organizations have reported widespread hunger among Gaza’s 2.2 million residents, with food supplies running dangerously low after Israel cut off all access to the territory in March. While aid was resumed in May, new restrictions have complicated distribution efforts.
The Gaza Health Ministry, run by Hamas, reported that dozens of residents have died from malnutrition in recent weeks. Since the outbreak of the conflict, 127 people, including 85 children, have died due to hunger-related causes, the ministry said.
Israel has denied that starvation is taking place in Gaza, stating that the temporary aid halt was intended to pressure Hamas into releasing the remaining hostages.
It added that there is sufficient food in Gaza and blamed the UN for failing to distribute it effectively. The UN, however, maintains that its operations are severely constrained by Israeli restrictions.
The conflict began on October 7, 2023, when Hamas-led militants launched a surprise attack in southern Israel, killing approximately 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and taking 251 hostages back to Gaza.
Since then, Israeli operations in Gaza have killed nearly 60,000 people, according to Gaza health officials. The majority of the casualties are reported to be civilians. Large swaths of Gaza have been reduced to rubble, and nearly the entire population has been displaced.
