Isreal Announces “Tactical Pause” in Parts of Gaza Amid Growing Hunger Crisis

Israel’s military on Sunday declared a “tactical pause” in certain areas of Gaza, aimed at facilitating the delivery of humanitarian aid and responding to mounting concerns over widespread hunger in the besieged territory.

The limited ceasefire, according to Israeli authorities, will take place daily between 10:00 a.m. and 8:00 p.m. in specific areas where Israeli forces are not currently active — including Al-Mawasi, Deir el-Balah, and parts of Gaza City. The move, the military said, is designed to allow the United Nations and other aid agencies to move food and medicine through “designated secure routes” across the Strip.

In a statement, the Israeli army said it had coordinated the decision with the UN and international organizations “to increase the scale of humanitarian aid entering the Gaza Strip.”

While UN and NGO officials did not immediately respond, some humanitarian sources expressed quiet scepticism, saying they would wait to see what — if anything — changes on the ground.

Israeli authorities also announced that they had begun air-dropping food into the territory and pushed back against growing accusations that starvation was being used as a weapon. The military described those allegations as false and claimed its actions “should disprove the false claim of deliberate starvation in the Gaza Strip.”

Israel had enforced a complete blockade on Gaza beginning March 2, following the collapse of ceasefire talks. Though limited aid resumed in late May, humanitarian agencies have repeatedly warned of deepening famine conditions. On Saturday alone, the Palestinian civil defence reported that more than 50 people were killed in Israeli strikes and shootings — some reportedly while waiting near aid distribution points.

“We ask God and our Arab brothers to work harder to reach a ceasefire before we all die,” said Hossam Sobh, a resident of Gaza, who spoke to AFP after retrieving a bag of flour while under threat from a nearby Israeli tank.

The hunger crisis has triggered international responses. The United Arab Emirates confirmed it would resume food drops “immediately,” while British Prime Minister Keir Starmer said his government would collaborate with Jordan to assist in airborne humanitarian efforts.

Still, aid experts remain doubtful of the effectiveness of such missions. “Air drops will not reverse the deepening starvation,” warned Philippe Lazzarini, head of UNRWA, the UN’s agency for Palestinian refugees. “They are expensive, inefficient and can even kill starving civilians.”

More than 100 NGOs recently issued a joint statement warning that “mass starvation” was spreading across Gaza. Although Israel says it does not cap the number of aid trucks entering the enclave, humanitarian organizations argue that excessive military restrictions and control over internal roadways have severely hampered their ability to operate.

A separate relief effort, coordinated through the Israeli- and US-backed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation, has also come under fire following deadly incidents in which hundreds of Palestinians were killed near distribution sites.

On Saturday evening, Israel intercepted a boat from the Freedom Flotilla Coalition — a group of activists attempting to challenge the naval blockade. The Handala vessel, which had been broadcasting live online, was boarded by Israeli troops as it neared Gaza’s shores. The video feed cut out moments later.

The dire humanitarian situation continues to worsen. According to Gaza’s Hamas-run health ministry, 59,733 Palestinians — mostly civilians — have been killed since Israel began its offensive in response to Hamas’s October 2023 attack, which left 1,219 people dead in Israel, also mostly civilians.

With access to much of the Strip still restricted and media coverage tightly controlled, independent verification of casualty figures remains difficult. But one thing is clear: the hunger crisis in Gaza has become a catastrophe — and the world is watching what comes next.