Palestinians carry sacks of flour unloaded from a humanitarian assist convoy that reached Gaza Metropolis from the northern Gaza Strip, Saturday, July 26, 2025.
Jehad Alshrafi/AP
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Jehad Alshrafi/AP
DEIR AL-BALAH, Gaza Strip — The Israeli navy on Sunday started a restricted pause in preventing in three populated areas of Gaza for 10 hours a day, a part of a sequence of steps launched as considerations over surging starvation within the territory mount and as Israel faces a wave of worldwide criticism over its conduct within the 21-month battle.
The navy mentioned it might start a “tactical pause” in Gaza Metropolis, Deir al-Balah and Muwasi, three areas of the territory with massive populations, to “increase the scale of humanitarian aid” coming into the territory. The pause begins day-after-day at 10:00 a.m. to eight:00 p.m. native time till additional discover, beginning Sunday.
The navy additionally mentioned that it might put in place safe routes for assist supply and that it carried out assist airdrops into Gaza, which included packages of assist with flour, sugar and canned meals.
Meals consultants have warned for months of the danger of famine in Gaza, the place Israel has restricted assist as a result of it says Hamas siphons off items to assist bolster its rule, with out offering proof for that declare. Photos rising from Gaza in current days of emaciated youngsters have fanned world criticism of Israel, together with by shut allies, who’ve known as for an finish to the battle and the humanitarian disaster it has spawned.
Israel mentioned the brand new measures have been going down whereas it continues its offensive towards Hamas in different areas. Forward of the pause, well being officers in Gaza mentioned no less than 27 Palestinians have been killed in separate strikes.
“This (humanitarian) truce will mean nothing if it doesn’t turn into a real opportunity to save lives,” mentioned Dr. Muneer al-Boursh, director normal of Gaza’s Well being Ministry, who known as for a flood of medical provides and different items to assist deal with baby malnutrition. “Every delay is measured by another funeral.”
Israel has restricted assist to Gaza all through the battle
The native pause in preventing got here days after ceasefire efforts between Israel and Hamas gave the impression to be unsure. On Friday, Israel and the U.S. recalled their negotiating groups, blaming Hamas, and Israel mentioned it was contemplating “alternative options” to ceasefire talks with the militant group.
Israel says it’s ready to finish the battle if Hamas surrenders, disarms and goes into exile, one thing the group has refused to conform to.
Palestinians wrestle to get donated meals at a group kitchen, in Gaza Metropolis, northern Gaza Strip, Saturday, July 26, 2025.
Abdel Kareem Hana/AP
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Abdel Kareem Hana/AP
Senior Hamas official Mahmoud Merdawi mentioned that Israel’s change of tack on the humanitarian disaster amounted to an acknowledgement that there have been ravenous Palestinians in Gaza and that the transfer was meant to enhance its worldwide standing and never save lives.
He mentioned that Israel “will not escape punishment and will inevitably pay the price for these criminal practices.”
After ending the most recent ceasefire in March, Israel reduce off the entry of meals, medication, gas and different provides utterly to Gaza for two ½ months, saying it aimed to stress Hamas to launch hostages.
Below worldwide stress, Israel barely eased the blockade in Might. Since then, it has allowed in round 4,500 vans for the U.N. and different assist teams to distribute. The common of 69 vans a day, nevertheless, is much under the five hundred to 600 vans a day the U.N. says are wanted for Gaza. The U.N. says it has been unable to distribute a lot of the help as a result of hungry crowds and gangs take most of it from its arriving vans.
As a option to divert assist supply away from the U.N.’s management, Israel has backed the U.S.-registered Gaza Humanitarian Basis, which in Might opened 4 facilities distributing bins of meals provides. Greater than 1,000 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli forces since Might whereas attempting to get meals, largely close to these new assist websites, the U.N. human rights workplace says.
Israel has railed towards the U.N. all through the battle, saying that its system allowed Hamas to steal assist. The U.N. denies that declare and says its supply mechanism was one of the best ways to convey assist to Palestinians.
The navy mentioned the brand new steps have been made in coordination with the U.N. and different humanitarian teams. There was no instant remark from the U.N.
A lot of Gaza’s inhabitants, squeezed by preventing into ever tinier patches of land, now depends on assist.
Not less than 27 Palestinians killed in newest strikes, well being officers say
The Awda Hospital in Nuseirat mentioned Israeli forces killed no less than 11 folks and wounded 101 as they have been headed towards a GHF assist distribution website in central Gaza. GHF, which denies involvement in any of the violence close to its websites, didn’t instantly reply to a request for remark. The navy mentioned it was wanting into the report.
Elsewhere, a strike hit a tent sheltering a displaced household within the Asdaa space, northwest of the southern metropolis of Khan Younis, killing no less than 9 folks, in line with Nasser Hospital. The lifeless included a father and his two youngsters, and one other father and his son, the hospital mentioned.
In Gaza Metropolis, a strike hit an residence late Saturday within the metropolis’s western facet, killing 4 folks, together with two girls, mentioned the Well being Ministry’s ambulance and emergency service. In Deir-al-Balah early Sunday, a strike on a tent close to a desalination plant killed a pair and one other lady, in line with the Al-Aqsa Martyrs hospital.
The Israeli navy had no instant touch upon the strikes. Nonetheless, it often blames Hamas for civilian casualties, saying the Palestinian militant group operates in populated areas.
The navy introduced Sunday that one other two troopers have been killed in Gaza, bringing the full variety of troopers killed since Oct. 7, 2023, to 898.
The battle started with Hamas’ October 2023 assault on southern Israel, when militants killed 1,200 folks, largely civilians, and took 251 hostages. Hamas nonetheless holds 50 hostages, greater than half of them believed to be lifeless.
Israel’s retaliatory offensive has killed greater than 59,700 Palestinians, in line with Gaza’s Well being Ministry. Its rely would not distinguish between militants and civilians, however the ministry says that greater than half of the lifeless are girls and youngsters. The ministry operates underneath the Hamas authorities. The U.N. and different worldwide organizations see it as probably the most dependable supply of information on casualties.
