Israel Announces ‘Tactical Pauses’ across 3 Parts in Gaza amid Starvation Crisis
The Israeli military announced on Sunday it would implement “tactical pauses” in fighting in three areas of Gaza, in addition to establishing corridors for the safe movement of UN convoys to deliver aid.
The announcement came amid mounting international pressures as famine spreads across Gaza and several hundreds of Palestinians have been killed while trying to reach food distribution sites.
Pauses in Fighting
The Israeli military Arabic-language spokesperson, Avichay Adraee, announced in a statement “tactical pauses” that would involve a halt in military activity in Muwasi, Deir al-Balah and Gaza City from 10:00 am to 8:00 pm local time every day until further notice, taking effect from Sunday.
Moreover, the statement said it would designate secure routes for UN and international aid agencies to distribute food and medicine to Gaza people, from 6 am to 11 pm.
The Israeli military announced on Saturday it would allow the resumption of airdrops into Gaza to deliver food supplies, including 7 pallets of aid containing flour, sugar, and canned food. It also said it had reconnected a power line from Israel to a desalination plant in Gaza.
These efforts would go alongside ongoing maneuvering and offensive operations against Hamas, the Israeli military noted.
Global Outrage
The Israeli military said that these pauses aim to improve the humanitarian response in Gaza. Furthermore, it claimed that there was “no starvation in Gaza,” accusing Hamas of promoting a false campaign. It also said that the UN and international aid organization are responsible for food distribution and should improve the effectiveness of aid distribution and ensure that the aid does not reach Hamas.
The Israeli decision came amid growing global criticism, including by close allies, of Israel’s actions in Gaza which led to the deaths of hundreds on Palestinians by Israeli gunfire near aid distribution sites and the spread of malnutrition among Palestinian children.
Moreover, humanitarian groups have criticized aid airdrops as expensive, inefficient and dangerous for those on the ground. The UNRWA Commissioner-General, Philippe Lazzarini, said that airdrops in Gaza “will not reverse the deepening starvation.”
He called airdrops “a distraction and screensmoke,” adding that a “manmade hunger can only be addressed by political will.” He called Israel to lift its blockade and allow aid access.
Dire Humanitarian Crisis
The Israeli war on Gaza has caused one of the world’s worst humanitarian crises amid looming famine and worsening humanitarian conditions in the Strip. After the collapse of a two-months ceasefire in March 2025, Israel imposed a total blockade on food, medicine and fuel into Gaza for two and a half months to ramp up pressure on Hamas.
In response to international pressure, Israel slightly eased its blockade in May, but kept tight restrictions on aid delivery. Furthermore, it deployed a new distribution mechanism under the US-backed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF), a model that the UN and other international organizations criticized.
Since it started operation in May, more than 1,000 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli forces while seeking aid, most of them near GHF distribution sites, according to the UN Human Rights Office.
On Sunday, Egypt’s Al-Qahera News reported that dozens of aid trucks have started moving from the Egyptian side of the Rafah crossing toward the Kerem Shalom crossing to enter Gaza.
Ceasefire Stalemate
The Gaza ceasefire negotiations appear to have reached a deadlock as the US and Israel on Friday pulled their negotiating teams from Doha, accusing Hamas of not wanting to reach a deal. They also said they would consider “alternative options” to release the remaining hostages.
Conversely, Hamas said the latest round of talks was “constructive,” while mediators Egypt and Qatar noted that the talks had seen some progress and that they would resume.
On Saturday evening, the families of the remaining Israeli hostages held protests in Tel Aviv, condemning the Israeli government for failing to reach a ceasefire agreement that secures the release of the hostages, according to CNN.
