By M10News International Desk
Israel has initiated a temporary halt in military operations across three regions of Gaza to address the deteriorating humanitarian situation, according to a statement released by the Israel Defence Forces (IDF).
The pause, which began today, covers the areas of Muwasi, Deir al Balah, and Gaza City. It will take place daily from 10 am to 8 pm local time 8 am to 6 pm UK time) and will remain in effect until further notice.
The IDF said it would also open secure corridors to enable United Nations agencies and aid organisations to deliver essential supplies, including food and medicine, to civilians in need.
This “tactical pause” comes as Israel resumes airdrops of humanitarian aid into the Gaza Strip, where conditions have reached critical levels amid ongoing hostilities.
Despite renewed deliveries, the IDF maintains that “there is no starvation” in Gaza.
However, it confirmed that the new airdrops will include “seven pallets of aid containing flour, sugar, and canned food,” coordinated with international organisations.
In a separate effort, two aircraft from the Jordanian air force and one from the UAE delivered a combined 25 tonnes of food and basic supplies to Gaza through airdrops.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said his government remains committed to facilitating the flow of humanitarian supplies, regardless of the delivery method. He added that Israel continues to advance both its military objectives and negotiations.
“We will continue to fight, we will continue to act until we achieve all of our war goals—until complete victory,” Netanyahu said.
UK Foreign Secretary David Lammy welcomed the pause but stressed that much more is needed. He described the move as “essential but long overdue.”
“This announcement alone cannot alleviate the needs of those desperately suffering in Gaza. We need a ceasefire that can end the war, for hostages to be released, and aid to enter Gaza by land unhindered,” Lammy said.
Emphasised that while airdrops provide short-term relief, land routes are the only sustainable way to meet the overwhelming demand for aid. “These measures must be fully implemented and further barriers to aid removed. The world is watching,” he added.
Israel had previously cut off all supplies to Gaza at the start of March. It later reopened some aid centres in May under new conditions aimed at preventing aid from being intercepted by Hamas fighters.
On Saturday, reports citing U.S. government data stated there was no concrete evidence that Hamas had stolen aid from United Nations agencies.
However, IDF international spokesperson Lieutenant Colonel Nadav Shoshani dismissed the reports, calling them “fake news.” He insisted that theft by Hamas has been “well documented.”
The debate over aid delivery methods continues, as humanitarian groups say the current reliance on airdrops is insufficient and wasteful.
Meanwhile, Gaza’s Hamas-run health ministry reported that 133 people, including 87 children, have died from malnutrition-related causes. Among them was a five-month-old girl who, according to hospital staff, weighed less at death than she did at birth.
Dr. Esraa Abu Habib, the child’s mother, told local reporters that her daughter weighed more than 3kg at birth but had dropped to under 2kg by the time she died last Friday.
Health workers themselves are suffering from the lack of food, with reports of staff resorting to IV drips to stay functional while treating severely malnourished patients.
Doctors Without Borders (Médecins Sans Frontières, or MSF) warned last week that 25% of young children and pregnant women in Gaza are now malnourished. The organisation condemned the conditions as “unconscionable,” citing the lack of food and clean water.
The United Nations has also raised serious concerns, estimating that Israeli forces have killed more than 1,000 people who were attempting to access food. Many of these deaths reportedly occurred near U.S.-backed militarised aid distribution sites.
Responding to those allegations, the IDF said it “categorically rejects the claims of intentional harm to civilians,” and confirmed that incidents at distribution sites are under investigation.
The Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF), which operates the controversial U.S.-supported distribution effort, also denied any direct link to the reported deaths. GHF Director Johnnie Moore told Sky News, “We just want to feed Gazans. That’s the only thing that we want to do.”
Editing by M10News International Desk | Contact:info@m10news.com
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