DEIR EL-BALAHAs worries about the rising rate of hunger in the region grow as Israel comes under increasing international condemnation for its actions during the 21-month conflict, the Israeli military on Sunday announced a 10-hour daily restricted halt in warfare in three densely populated regions of Gaza.
In order to expand the amount of humanitarian supplies entering the territory, the IDF said that it will start a daily tactical pause in Gaza City, Deir al-Balah, and Muwasi—three densely populated areas of the enclave. The stoppage will start on Sunday and last until further notice, from 10:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. local time.
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Shortly after the pause started, Gaza health officials reported that an Israeli airstrike on a flat in Gaza City killed a lady and her four children, illustrating how dangerous the situation was for Gazans. There was no immediate response from the Israeli military.
For months, food experts have warned of the dangers of hunger in Gaza, where Israel has blocked supplies because it claims Hamas embezzles goods to support its rule without offering proof.
Images of malnourished children that have surfaced from Gaza in recent days have sparked international condemnation of Israel, with many calling for an end to the conflict and the humanitarian crisis it has caused.
“A funeral serves as a gauge for every delay.”
Israel stated that the fresh actions were being taken in parallel with its ongoing onslaught against Hamas in other regions. At least 38 Palestinians, including 23 aid-seekers, were killed in separate strikes from late Saturday into Sunday, according to Gaza health officials.
The military also stated that it would establish safe pathways for the delivery of aid as part of the loosened restrictions. Additionally, it claimed to have conducted assistance airdrops into Gaza, delivering aid packages of canned food, bread, and sugar. Later on Sunday, another airdrop was observed over Gaza.
While applauding the efforts to loosen limitations on aid, the UN food organization stated that a more comprehensive truce was required to guarantee that supplies reached all Gazans in need. UNICEF referred to it as a chance to save lives.
In order to combat child malnutrition, Gaza’s Health Ministry director general, Dr. Muneer al-Boursh, appealed for an influx of medical supplies and other items.
He warned that if this (humanitarian) truce doesn’t become a genuine chance to save lives, it will be for nothing. Another funeral serves as a barometer for every delay.
Recall of negotiating teams
Days after Israel and Hamas attempted to reach a ceasefire, there was a local halt in combat.
Israel said it was looking at alternatives to ceasefire negotiations with Hamas after the U.S. and Israel summoned back their negotiating teams on Friday and blamed the militant organization.
If Hamas surrenders, disarms, and goes into exile—a demand the organization has rejected—Israel claims it is ready to end the conflict.
Mahmoud Merdawi, a senior Hamas leader, claimed that Israel’s shift in approach to the humanitarian crisis amounted to an admission that Palestinians in Gaza were hungry and that the action was taken to boost its reputation abroad rather than to save lives.
According to him, Israel will unavoidably pay the price for these illegal actions and would not escape justice.
Conditions similar to famine
Israel shut off all food, medication, gasoline, and other supplies from Gaza for two months after the most recent truce ended in March, claiming that this was done to put pressure on Hamas to free the hostages.
In May, Israel loosened the blockade somewhat in response to criticism from other countries. Since then, it has permitted the entry of about 4,500 vehicles for distribution by the United Nations and other humanitarian organizations. However, the average of 69 trucks per day is significantly less than the 500–600 trucks per day that the U.N. claims Gaza needs. The U.N. claims that because gangs and ravenous crowds steal the majority of the help from the trucks that bring it in, it has been unable to distribute much of it.
Israel has supported organizations that opened four locations in May to distribute food supply boxes in an effort to shift assistance delivery away from the U.N.’s jurisdiction. by Israeli soldiers while attempting to obtain food since May, primarily in the vicinity of those new aid locations, according to the U.N. human rights office.
Throughout the conflict, Israel has attacked the U.N., claiming that its structure enabled Hamas to embezzle aid. The U.N. disputes that assertion, stating that their delivery system was the most effective means of providing help to Palestinians.
The military said that the U.N. and other humanitarian organizations were consulted in order to coordinate the new actions.
Due to the conflict, a large portion of Gaza’s population is now dependent on aid.
According to a statement by the World Food Program, about half a million people in Gaza were suffering from conditions similar to famine, and a third of the country’s 2 million residents had gone days without eating. It claimed to have enough food in the area or en route to it to sustain all of Gaza for almost three months.
The most recent strikes killed at least 38 people.
Israeli soldiers were en route to a GHF assistance distribution facility in central Gaza when they murdered at least 13 individuals, including four women and four children, and injured 101 others, according to the Awda Hospital in Nuseirat. There were no incidents at or near its premises, according to GHF, which denies any role in the violence that has occurred nearby. The military claimed to be investigating the report.
According to hospital officials and medical professionals, 10 more persons were killed while attempting to get aid in various parts of Gaza, including northwest Gaza City, where over fifty people were injured.
The military said Sunday that two more troops had been killed in Gaza, increasing the total to 898 since Oct. 7, 2023. The military did not immediately comment on the strikes.
The conflict started when Hamas militants attacked southern Israel in October 2023, killing 1,200 people—mostly civilians—and capturing 251 captives. More than half of the 50 captives that Hamas still possesses are thought to be dead.
According to Gaza’s Health Ministry, Israel’s retaliatory offensive has killed over 59,700 Palestinians. The ministry claims that over half of the deceased are women and children, although the total does not differentiate between terrorists and civilians. The Hamas government is in charge of the ministry. It is regarded as the most trustworthy source of casualty data by the United Nations and other international organizations.
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Magdy reported from Cairo, and Goldenberg from Tel Aviv, Israel.
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