The Israeli military has initiated a daily 10-hour 'tactical pause' in three populated areas of Gaza to facilitate the entry of what Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu described as a 'minimal' amount of humanitarian aid. The pause, which applies to Gaza City, Deir al-Balah and Muwasi, will run from 10am to 8pm local time until further notice, while fighting continues elsewhere in the territory.
Palestinians have reacted with wariness, noting no immediate improvement in the availability or price of goods beyond a 20% drop in flour prices. Eyad al-Banna, a maths teacher and father of seven, said: 'Opening the humanitarian crossings to allow the entry of aid will not change anything on the ground, even if it continues for a week or two, because the humanitarian crisis and famine in Gaza have exceeded all expectations.'
The World Food Programme (WFP) welcomed the measures, stating it has enough food in or on its way to the region to feed the entire population of 2.1 million people for almost three months. However, it stressed that a ceasefire is needed to ensure food reaches everyone. UN aid chief Tom Fletcher reported that more than 100 truckloads of aid were collected from crossings on Sunday, calling it 'progress' but warning that vast amounts are needed to stave off famine.
Despite the pause, an Israeli airstrike on a building in Gaza City killed a woman and her four children soon after the humanitarian window began. The Palestinian health ministry also recorded 10 injuries from falling aid boxes during airdrops. At least 133 people have died from starvation in recent weeks, according to local authorities.
