In order to allow more humanitarian supplies to reach Gaza, the Israeli military said it would implement a daily "tactical pause of military activity" along a route in the southern region. The breaks, which are believed to have started on Saturday, will continue until further notice. They will start at 8:00 local time (05:00 GMT) and end at 19:00 local time.
They will only have an impact on the route that goes north from Gaza's main crossing, Kerem Shalom, which is shared with Israel. Israel has been under constant pressure to stop the humanitarian disaster in Gaza from becoming worse from its friends, especially the United States.
"Additional related discussions with the UN and international organizations" preceded Sunday's declaration, according to the Israel Defense Forces (IDF). The humanitarian stop travels from Gaza's southern Kerem Shalom border to the major highway Salah al-Din Road, then north to the European Hospital, which is located close to Khan Younis.
The IDF made clear that there is no truce in the southern Gaza Strip and that fighting would continue in Rafah in a post on X.
Since Israeli forces invaded Rafah more than a month ago, taking control of the Gazan side of the Rafah border with Egypt and issuing evacuation orders to a large number of residents, hundreds of thousands of people have left the city. Since then, the crossing—which was once the primary port of entry for aid—has been closed. According to Israel, the purpose of its operation in Rafah is to drive Hamas out of their "last major stronghold." International organizations have repeatedly called for greater supplies to be allowed into Gaza and warned of a catastrophic humanitarian situation there.
Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, the director-general of the World Health Organization, said on Wednesday that a sizable section of Gaza's population was experiencing "catastrophic hunger and famine-like conditions".Aid trucks entering Gaza are still much fewer than what organizations have said is necessary.
According to data from the UN's humanitarian agency, OCHA, on a daily average, 97 trucks—fuel excluded—delivered humanitarian goods into Gaza in May. That number was 139 in March and 169 in April. About 500 trucks a day, including gasoline ones, delivering supplies were entering Gaza before the conflict broke out on October 7.
OCHA notes that it has not been able to see firsthand the private sector's delivery of supplies across the Kerem Shalom border since May 7. The bloodiest event for the army in the battle since January, according to the IDF, claimed the lives of eight Israeli troops on Saturday in an explosion near Rafah. It took place during an operation in Rafah's Tal al-Sultan neighborhood, which has been a major focus for Israeli soldiers lately. The armed wing of Hamas claimed to have set up an ambush and then launched a rocket on an armored vehicle. Benjamin Netanyahu, the prime minister of Israel, has promised to keep up the fight against Hamas and has urged Israelis to adhere to the war's objectives "despite the heavy and shocking price" and not let anybody "divert" them from it.
"Elimination of Hamas' governmental and military capabilities, sending all of our hostages, making sure that Gaza will not pose an imminent danger to Israel and returning people who live safely both in the north and in the south," he said. Relief organizations have often noted challenges in getting supplies into Gaza. Despite having all the required paperwork, a convoy transporting assistance was refused entrance into northern Gaza, the UN children's charity Unicef informed the BBC on Friday.
Traveling in the convoy was Unicef spokesperson James Elder, who said that this was now routine. The IDF said that documentation was incomplete and charged Mr. Elder with giving a "partial picture" of the circumstances.
After Hamas struck Israel on October 7, murdering over 1,200 people and capturing 251 more as captives and sending them back to Gaza, the conflict broke out. Over 37,000 Palestinians have died since the conflict began, according to the health ministry operated by Hamas, and hundreds of thousands more have been wounded or forced to flee their homes.
The United States announced on Saturday that Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant would be visiting Washington in the near future to continue discussions regarding a possible ceasefire and prisoner release agreement between Israel and Hamas. This week, Hamas counter-proposed a number of issues in the US-backed plan, but it refrained from adopting it. The plan calls for a "surge" in humanitarian aid for Gaza and is attributed to Israel by the US, despite Israel's non-public endorsement.
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