Israel Begins Limited Gaza Pause Amid Hunger Crisis/ Newslooks/ WASHINGTON/ J. Mansour/ Morning Edition/ Israel launched daily 10-hour humanitarian pauses in Gaza to allow limited aid delivery amid rising global pressure. The move follows intense criticism over child malnutrition and famine conditions. Aid groups say the effort is not enough to prevent starvation.
Gaza Humanitarian Crisis Quick Looks
- Israel starts daily 10-hour tactical pauses in Gaza
- Aid access expanded in Gaza City, Deir al-Balah, and Muwasi
- UN welcomes pause but demands sustained large-scale aid
- 60+ starvation-related deaths reported in July, including 24 children
- Aid deliveries remain far below UN-required levels
- Israeli strikes continue outside paused hours, killing dozens
- Ceasefire talks with Hamas stall as hunger escalates
Israel Begins Limited Gaza Pause Amid Hunger Crisis
Deep Look
DEIR AL-BALAH, Gaza Strip (AP) — Israel began implementing daily tactical pauses in three Gaza locations on Sunday, allowing limited humanitarian aid to enter areas devastated by nearly two years of war. The military announced that the temporary halts in combat would last from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. in Gaza City, Deir al-Balah, and Muwasi—areas densely populated with civilians struggling to survive.
The Israeli Defense Forces said these steps were intended to increase aid access while maintaining overall military pressure on Hamas. Aid delivery through the Kerem Shalom and Zikim crossings has resumed in a limited capacity, and airdrops have begun to supplement what ground convoys cannot deliver.
The United Nations welcomed the move. UN humanitarian chief Tom Fletcher described the pause as a “week-long scale-up of aid” and noted that some movement restrictions had been eased. However, Fletcher stressed that the action must be scaled significantly and sustained to avert a widespread famine.
Palestinians across Gaza lined up in desperation for scarce supplies. Residents carried sacks of flour, sugar, and canned goods—while others returned empty-handed.
“My children haven’t seen flour in more than a week,” said Sabreen Hassona. “I managed only a kilo of rice.”
Despite the pause, fighting continues outside the designated areas. Gaza health officials said Israeli strikes killed at least 41 Palestinians between Saturday night and Sunday, including 26 people trying to access humanitarian aid. Awda Hospital in central Gaza reported 13 deaths and over 100 injuries as people gathered near a food distribution site.
Israel says it is working in coordination with humanitarian groups and the UN to ensure safe aid delivery. The military said 28 packages were airdropped on Sunday and that secure aid routes are being established. The World Food Programme confirmed that 80 trucks carrying aid entered Gaza, and over 130 more arrived via Egypt, Ashdod, and Jordan. But WFP officials said this is still far below the 500 to 600 trucks per day needed to prevent mass starvation.
Images of starving children and reports of famine-like conditions have increased international criticism. Israel has faced accusations from humanitarian organizations and foreign governments, including allies, for limiting aid and worsening the crisis.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu defended Israel’s actions, stating, “We will continue to allow the entry of minimal humanitarian supplies,” but denied that Israel is obstructing aid.
Since March, Israel has blocked the entry of food, medicine, and fuel, claiming Hamas diverts aid for its own use—a claim made without publicly provided evidence. Following international outcry, Israel eased some restrictions in May, yet the daily aid flow remains critically low. The UN says it struggles to distribute supplies effectively due to looting, chaos, and a breakdown of civil order.
Meanwhile, ceasefire talks appear to have collapsed. Both Israel and the United States withdrew their negotiating teams from Qatar last week, blaming Hamas for refusing to commit to terms. Hamas leaders insist they have shown flexibility and accused Israel of using humanitarian relief as a political tool. Senior Hamas official Mahmoud Merdawi said the limited aid access is intended to “improve Israel’s image, not to save lives.”
Deaths from malnutrition continue to rise. The World Health Organization reported 63 deaths in July related to starvation, including 24 children under five. Dr. Muneer al-Boursh, a senior official in Gaza’s health ministry, said the only hope is an influx of medical and nutritional aid. “Every delay is measured by another funeral,” he said.
The overall death toll continues to rise. Since the war began in October 2023, more than 59,700 Palestinians have been killed, according to Gaza’s health ministry, which is under Hamas governance. The ministry says over half of those killed are women and children. On the Israeli side, the military reported two more soldiers killed Sunday, bringing the total to 898 military fatalities since the conflict began. Hamas’s original October 7 attack killed 1,200 people in Israel, most of them civilians, and led to 251 hostages being taken into Gaza.
President Donald Trump commented Sunday on the crisis, calling the images of emaciated children “terrible” and reiterating U.S. support for efforts to stabilize the region.
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