July 27, 2025 –
The Israeli military has announced a daily “tactical pause” in three parts of Gaza in response to growing international concern over a deepening humanitarian catastrophe in the region. Starting Sunday, the military will suspend operations from 10:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. local time in Muwasi, Deir al-Balah, and Gaza City. The announcement, made Saturday, comes amid mounting criticism from humanitarian groups and world leaders over widespread hunger and restricted aid access in the war-torn enclave.
Though the military stated it is not currently conducting operations in these zones, recent reports indicate that airstrikes and skirmishes have occurred in those very areas in the past weeks. The pause, which has no declared end date, is expected to provide a safer environment for humanitarian organizations attempting to deliver life-saving supplies.
This move follows escalating warnings from aid organizations and the United Nations, which have sounded the alarm over mass starvation affecting Gaza’s population of 2.2 million. More than 100 humanitarian agencies issued a joint alert earlier this week, describing the food shortage as catastrophic. Gaza’s Health Ministry has reported at least 127 deaths from malnutrition since the onset of the conflict, including 85 children.
In addition to the daily pauses, the Israeli military said it is establishing secure aid corridors and enhancing infrastructure to support humanitarian efforts. On Saturday, it connected a new power line to a major desalination plant, which officials say could provide clean water to nearly 900,000 residents each day. Access to safe drinking water has been severely compromised by the ongoing conflict, compounding the crisis.
The Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) also announced the resumption of airdrops to northern Gaza, where access by land has been severely limited. Seven pallets of food aid, including flour, canned goods, and sugar, have already been dropped, with supplies provided by international agencies. The military described these actions as part of a broader initiative to improve conditions on the ground, though it reaffirmed that combat operations against Hamas and other armed groups would continue in parallel.
The aid pause and airdrops come in the wake of damning criticism, including from some of Israel’s closest allies, over the number of Palestinian deaths at food distribution points. Dozens have died in recent weeks while trying to access limited aid supplies, highlighting the desperate need for a safe and reliable distribution network.
Despite these new measures, significant challenges remain. The United Nations welcomed the tactical pauses as a necessary step but noted that the lack of consistent and secure alternative routes still hinders the movement of humanitarian convoys. In a Thursday statement, the UN urged Israel to ensure unrestricted access for aid workers and to allow the delivery of supplies at the scale needed to avert further loss of life.
Israel, however, has pushed back on accusations that it is obstructing aid. “There is no starvation in the Gaza Strip; this is a false campaign promoted by Hamas,” the IDF stated in a press release. The military maintains that it has allowed sufficient food to enter the territory and blamed logistical failures by the United Nations and aid groups for the worsening conditions.
“The responsibility for food distribution lies with the UN and international aid organizations,” the IDF said. “It is their duty to ensure aid reaches civilians and not militant factions.”
Since the start of the conflict nearly two years ago, Gaza has seen widespread devastation, with critical infrastructure damaged or destroyed and tens of thousands displaced. Israel reopened key border crossings in May following international pressure, but new restrictions remain in place, hampering full-scale aid operations.
As the conflict drags on and famine spreads, international observers are calling for more sustained and transparent humanitarian measures. Whether the tactical pauses and aid corridors will be enough to ease the suffering of Gaza’s residents remains to be seen.
