Israel announces 'tactical' military pause in 3 Gaza areas, as aid routes set to open
The suspension will be in Al Mawasi, Deir al Balah and Gaza City, the IDF said.
LONDON, TEL AVIV and GAZA -- The Israel Defense Forces said Sunday it would begin a scheduled "tactical" pause of its military activities in three areas in Gaza, as it opens aid corridors to allow food and medicine into the enclave.
A suspension in military activity was scheduled from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. for Al Mawasi, Deir al Balah and Gaza City, according to Avichay Adraee, an IDF spokesperson. The suspension was to begin Sunday and continue every day until further notice, he said in a statement on social media.
The decision was made in coordination with the United Nations and other international aid groups, according to COGAT, the Israeli body that manages the flow of aid into the territory. The 10-hour pauses would begin in areas where "the IDF is not operating," the Israeli military said.
Reacting to the announcement, officials with the Hamas-run Gaza Ministry of Health said the pause must be used to take immediate measures to save lives by evacuating the wounded and allowing the entry of food and medical supplies, including baby formula, antibiotics, and high-protein and high-calorie nutritional supplements.
The IDF had announced changes Saturday in humanitarian aid procedures in Gaza amid ongoing international pressure as the malnutrition crisis worsens.
Israel said Sunday morning that "secure" aid corridors would be opened daily from 6 a.m. to 11 p.m., allowing convoys from the United Nations and other international aid groups to deliver food and medicine within the Strip.
The news comes as Israel over the weekend again insisted that "there is no starvation in Gaza," according to an IDF post on X that listed what the post said were "new steps to improve the humanitarian response in Gaza."
"The IDF emphasizes that there is no starvation in Gaza; this is a false campaign promoted by Hamas," the post said, in part. "Responsibility for food distribution lies with the UN & international aid organizations. Therefore, the UN and international organizations are expected to improve the effectiveness of aid distribution and to ensure that the aid does not reach Hamas."
The Gaza media office said 600 relief trucks are required for the Strip daily, adding that about 250,000 cans of infant formula are required each month. The Hamas-run office called for the immediate opening of crossings into the territory.
The Israeli army also began airdropping food parcels overnight into Sunday. Several Arab countries in the region, including Jordan and the United Arab Emirates, also said they will also conduct airdrops.
