Israel has introduced limited daily pauses in its military operations across three areas of Gaza, aimed at alleviating the worsening humanitarian situation. According to the Israel Defence Forces (IDF), fighting will be suspended from 10am to 8pm local time in Muwasi, Deir al Balah, and Gaza City, to allow for the delivery of essential aid. Secure corridors will be established to enable UN and humanitarian agencies to distribute food and supplies safely. These so-called “tactical pauses” follow resumed international airdrops of food and medical assistance into Gaza.
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Despite claims by the IDF that there is “no starvation” in the region, aid has begun reaching parts of northern Gaza via both Israeli and international efforts. Airdrops from Jordan and the United Arab Emirates have delivered around 25 tonnes of supplies. However, Foreign Secretary David Lammy described the pause as “long overdue” and stressed that only a full ceasefire and unrestricted land access for aid can address the scale of the crisis. He urged the Israeli government to remove existing barriers and ensure the uninterrupted flow of aid into Gaza.
Reports of malnutrition-related deaths are growing, with the Hamas-run health ministry citing at least 133 such fatalities, including 87 children. One tragic case involved a five-month-old girl whose weight had dropped below her birth weight, highlighting the extreme hunger faced by Gaza’s population. Medical staff, also affected by food shortages, have reportedly resorted to intravenous drips to continue caring for patients. Humanitarian organisations, including Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF), have sounded alarms over the escalating levels of child and maternal malnutrition.
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Aid agencies have criticised airdrops as inadequate. UNRWA chief Philippe Lazzarini described them as “expensive” and “inefficient,” calling for political action instead of symbolic gestures. He noted that thousands of aid trucks were waiting in Jordan and Egypt for clearance into Gaza. Meanwhile, the UN has reported that over 1,000 civilians have been killed near food distribution points, though both the IDF and the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation have denied responsibility. The IDF maintains that any civilian harm is unintentional and remains under investigation.
