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 combating in three populated areas of Gaza for 10 hours a day, a part of a sequence of steps launched as issues over surging starvation within the territory mount and as Israel faces a wave of worldwide criticism over its conduct within the 21-month conflict.
The navy mentioned it will start a “tactical pause” in Gaza Metropolis, Deir al-Balah and Muwasi, three areas of the territory with giant populations, to “improve the dimensions of humanitarian assist” getting into the territory. The pause begins on daily basis at 10:00 a.m. to eight:00 p.m. native time till additional discover, beginning Sunday.
The navy additionally mentioned that it will 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 specialists 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. Photographs rising from Gaza in latest days of emaciated youngsters have fanned world criticism of Israel, together with by shut allies, who’ve known as for an finish to the conflict and the humanitarian disaster it has spawned.
Israel mentioned the brand new measures have been happening whereas it continues its offensive in opposition to 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 imply nothing if it does not flip into an actual alternative to save lots of lives,” mentioned Dr. Muneer al-Boursh, director common of Gaza’s Well being Ministry, who known as for a flood of medical provides and different items to assist deal with little one malnutrition. “Each delay is measured by one other funeral.”
Israel has restricted assist to Gaza all through the conflict
The native pause in combating got here days after ceasefire efforts between Israel and Hamas gave the impression to be doubtful. On Friday, Israel and the U.S. recalled their negotiating groups, blaming Hamas, and Israel mentioned it was contemplating “various choices” to ceasefire talks with the militant group.
Israel says it’s ready to finish the conflict 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 “is not going to escape punishment and can inevitably pay the value for these prison practices.”
After ending the newest ceasefire in March, Israel minimize off the entry of meals, drugs, gasoline and different provides utterly to Gaza for two ½ months, saying it aimed to strain Hamas to launch hostages.
Underneath worldwide strain, 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 way 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 approach 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 packing containers 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 in opposition to the U.N. all through the conflict, 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 quick remark from the U.N.
A lot of Gaza’s inhabitants, squeezed by combating into ever tinier patches of land, now depends on assist.
At the very least 27 Palestinians killed in newest strikes, well being officers say
The Awda Hospital in Nuseirat mentioned Israeli forces killed no less than 11 individuals and wounded 101 as they have been headed towards a GHF assist distribution web site 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 individuals, in accordance with Nasser Hospital. The useless included a father and his two youngsters, and one other father and his son, the hospital mentioned.
In Gaza Metropolis, a strike hit an house late Saturday within the metropolis’s western aspect, killing 4 individuals, 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 accordance with the Al-Aqsa Martyrs hospital.
The Israeli navy had no quick touch upon the strikes. Nevertheless, it normally 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 conflict started with Hamas’ October 2023 assault on southern Israel, when militants killed 1,200 individuals, largely civilians, and took 251 hostages. Hamas nonetheless holds 50 hostages, greater than half of them believed to be useless.
Israel’s retaliatory offensive has killed greater than 59,700 Palestinians, in accordance with Gaza’s Well being Ministry. Its depend does not distinguish between militants and civilians, however the ministry says that greater than half of the useless are girls and youngsters. The ministry operates beneath the Hamas authorities. The U.N. and different worldwide organizations see it as probably the most dependable supply of information on casualties.
