Israel announced a 10-hour daily halt in military operations across parts of Gaza to enable aid deliveries, as international criticism mounts over worsening humanitarian conditions. The pause, from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m., applies to Al-Mawasi, Deir al-Balah, and Gaza City, with secure corridors for food and medical convoys operating from 6 a.m. to 11 p.m.
The decision coincides with Jordan and the United Arab Emirates airdropping 25 tons of supplies into Gaza, their first in months, though aid groups stress air deliveries cannot replace ground convoys. The United Nations World Food Programme urged Israel for faster truck approvals to leverage the humanitarian pause. UN aid chief Tom Fletcher confirmed over 100 truckloads entered Gaza on Sunday but warned famine risks remain high.
The crisis deepened as Gaza’s health ministry reported six new malnutrition deaths, bringing the toll to 133 since 2023, including 87 children. A five-month-old infant’s death underscored dire shortages. Israeli officials maintain no famine exists but acknowledge conditions are “critical,” citing ongoing measures to allow humanitarian supplies.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu vowed continued military operations against Hamas while permitting aid entry. Ceasefire talks in Doha collapsed, leaving uncertainty over hostages and prospects for peace. Hamas dismissed the pauses as insufficient, claiming Israel’s offensive persists.
Since the war began on October 7, 2023, when Hamas attacks killed 1,200 Israelis and took 251 hostages, Israeli strikes have killed nearly 60,000 Palestinians, mostly civilians, according to Gaza health officials. The conflict has displaced almost all 2.2 million residents, with mass hunger intensifying calls for a permanent ceasefire and sustained aid access.