Israel has announced a daily 10-hour pause in military operations across key areas of Gaza in a bid to ease the worsening humanitarian crisis in the war-torn enclave.
The pause, starting Sunday, will run from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. local time in Al-Mawasi, Deir al-Balah, and Gaza City, alongside newly designated aid corridors from 6 a.m. to 11 p.m.
The move follows mounting international pressure over Gaza’s dire food shortages. According to the Gaza Health Ministry, at least 127 people, including 85 children have died from malnutrition since the war began in October 2023.
Among the latest victims is five-month-old Zainab Abu Haleeb, whose death from severe acute malnutrition has sparked outrage. “Three months inside the hospital and this is what I get in return — that she is dead,” said her grieving mother, Israa Abu Haleeb.
The Egyptian Red Crescent confirmed on Sunday that it was dispatching over 100 aid trucks carrying 1,200 metric tons of food through the Kerem Shalom crossing. Israel also resumed airdrops of aid, describing it as an effort to alleviate suffering.
While many Gazans expressed cautious optimism, others were skeptical. “We hope today marks the first step in ending this war that has burned everything,” said business owner Tamer Al-Burai. Displaced resident Suhaib Mohammed warned that uncontrolled airdrops often cause injuries and fail to reach those most in need.
Criticism emerged from Israel’s far-right ministers, notably National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir, who accused the government of surrendering to Hamas propaganda. Netanyahu’s office declined to comment.
The war, sparked by the October 7 Hamas-led attack on Israel that killed 1,200 people, has left over 59,000 dead in Gaza and displaced nearly its entire 2.2 million population.
