BeirutThis Sunday, Gaza awoke to a partial truce. Starting at 10:00 a.m. and continuing for ten hours, the Israeli army suspended operations in Gaza City, Deir al-Balah, and Al-Mawasi, presumably to allow the entry of humanitarian aid. At the same time, safe corridors were opened from 6:00 p.m. to 11:00 p.m. for the entry of UN convoys and international organizations distributing "food and medicine to the population throughout the Gaza Strip." Israel, which described this as a "tactical pause" in a statement released by the army, presents this as part of a "effort to increase the scale of humanitarian aid entering Gaza."
According to Egyptian state television networks, Al Qahera and ExtraNews, dozens of trucks loaded with humanitarian aid have been entering Gaza throughout the day. On Monday morning, Israel estimated that 120 trucks had entered in a single day, but the UN warned that this was only "a drop in the ocean" of needs. These "tactical pauses" will be applied for "ten hours a day" and "until further notice." The measure will be evaluated weekly, and humanitarian agencies are not commenting on its duration, because they know it could end without warning.
Israel's decision comes after a wave of international condemnation for the hunger and malnutrition suffered by the civilian population in Gaza, especially children. The Israeli army, in fact, specifies that these movements are carried out "in accordance with directives from the political level" of Israel and following "an assessment of the situation." It also explains that they are part of "a series of actions that seek to improve the humanitarian response in the Gaza Strip, as well as to refute the false claim of deliberate starvation in the enclave." Despite all the warnings issued, Israel insists that this is a propaganda campaign "promoted by Hamas," which governs Gaza. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has also expressed this opinion: "The UN is making excuses and lying about the state of Israel. It says, 'They don't allow the entry of humanitarian supplies.' They are allowed. There are protected convoys. There have always been, but today there are, but today there are, but today there are, but today there are, but today there are, but today there are, but today there are, but today there are, but today there are, in order to achieve all our war objectives, until complete victory."
In any case, it remains to be seen what impact it has on the ground and whether the measure is sufficient to deal with the horrific humanitarian crisis within the Strip. Humanitarian organizations on the ground welcome the decision, but are also critical. First, because they accuse Israel of deliberately causing hunger. Second, because they believe Tel Aviv's measure is insufficient to solve the horrific humanitarian crisis in the Strip. "A man-made hunger can only be resolved with political will," said UNRWA Secretary-General Philippe Lazzarini, who demanded an end to the siege on Gaza and the opening of all crossings to ensure "safe movement and dignified access for people in need."
Tom Fletcher, the UN humanitarian coordinator on the ground, already pointed out that, without firm guarantees, the civilian population will remain trapped. Nearly 90% of the territory is under military control or under displacement orders. The most affected areas have gone weeks without fuel, functioning hospitals, or basic services. Over the past four months, access has been virtually nonexistent in the north, and malnutrition figures have risen alarmingly.
Since March, Israel has tightened the blockade. Even a brief ceasefire in January failed to halt the trend. Since then, starvation deaths have continued to mount. More than 1,000 hunger-related deaths have been recorded. In July alone, at least 127 people died from malnutrition, according to the Hamas-controlled Gaza Health Ministry. Eighty-five were children. In total, more than 100 deaths from hunger have been confirmed by the United Nations since the total blockade began in March. The same cases are repeated in hospitals: children under five years old with a weight below the minimum vital weight, mothers without milk to feed them, adult patients with signs of multiple organ failure due to severe malnutrition. In total, the war in Gaza has killed 59,821 people since October 2023.
Message from Tel-Aviv
The Israeli government insists that the humanitarian pauses demonstrate its commitment to international law. But at the same time, they deny any responsibility for the hunger, pointing to alleged logistical failures by the UN or, outright, claiming that it is all a Hamas fabrication. They claim, in fact, that the Islamist group is obstructing the distribution, and many requests are rejected for security reasons. However, dozens of witnesses contradict this version. Trucks have been stopped for days at border crossings, convoys have been shot at, people have been killed while trying to reach aid distribution centers, and aid workers have been killed or maimed by Israeli fire.
This Sunday, local media reported more than fifty deaths in areas near Rafah and Beit Lahia, in parallel with the hours-long truce. Six deaths from starvation were also reported. The feeling among the civilian population is one of complete helplessness. It is unclear which areas are protected or for how long. Military reports don't always match the facts on the ground.
Aid distribution also doesn't guarantee real access. Many points are outside designated areas, and travel, whether on foot or with wheelbarrows, is risky. Most of the population is concentrated in the south, in overcrowded camps. The scenes are repetitive: lines under the sun, bodies covered with blankets on street corners, and makeshift stoves made with wet firewood.
Israel intercepts the 'Handala' ship carrying aid to Gaza
The Israeli Navy intercepted the Handala this weekend, the second ship to sail toward Gaza with humanitarian aid in the past two months, in an attempt to break the blockade imposed by Israel on the Palestinian enclave. "The Israeli Navy prevented the Navarn (its official registration name) from illegally entering the maritime zone off the coast of Gaza. The ship is proceeding safely toward the Israeli coast and all passengers are safe and sound," said the Tel Aviv government statement, adding that the "illegal and undermining of ongoing humanitarian efforts."
The Palestinian organization Adala , which legally represents the group in Israel, asserted in a statement on Sunday that the Handala had not entered Israeli territorial waters nor did it intend to do so. "The vessel was heading towards the territorial waters of the State of Palestine, as recognized by international law," the NGO stated. "Israel has no jurisdiction or legal authority over the international waters through which the vessel was navigating," it emphasized.
On board the Handala were 21 people from twelve different countries: six Americans, four French, two Italians, two Spaniards, two Australians, one Norwegian, one Tunisian, one French-British citizen, one Moroccan, and one Iraqi-American.