Israel announced on Sunday morning a temporary halt to military activity in several areas of the Gaza Strip. At the same time, it is reported that trucks carrying emergency aid are on their way.
The humanitarian pause, which was announced on Saturday, is in effect until further notice and includes specific areas where the Israeli army (IDF) does not operate.
The IDF says there will be daily pauses in three areas starting Sunday. The areas include Gaza City in the north, Deir al-Balah in central Gaza, and Al Mawasi in the south.
The breaks will last from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. local time, the IDF said in a statement. It did not say how long the arrangement would be in effect.
Trucks from Egypt
According to the IDF, humanitarian corridors are also being established that can be used between 6 a.m. and 11 p.m., so that food and medicine can be distributed.
On Sunday morning, trucks carrying relief supplies began heading towards Gaza from Egypt, the Egyptian-affiliated Al Qahera TV channel reported. In the morning, it was reported that the trucks had crossed the border at Rafah.
The attacks continue
At the same time, Palestinian health authorities reported that at least 38 Palestinians had been killed in new Israeli attacks on Sunday.
24 of them were killed while waiting for emergency aid, writes the Israeli newspaper Haaretz, citing a statement from Palestinian hospitals. Al Jazeera reports that the death toll has risen to 43.
The IDF has not commented on the incident, but has previously denied that they are shooting at Palestinian civilians waiting for emergency aid.
According to the UN, over 1,000 Palestinians have been shot and killed trying to access emergency aid in Gaza since May.
Israel's war against Hamas has claimed over 59,700 lives since October 7, 2023, according to the Palestinian Ministry of Health.
The figures do not distinguish between civilians and combatants and have not been independently verified, but are considered credible by the UN and aid agencies. They also do not include thousands who are missing and feared to be in the rubble of bombed buildings.
Criticized
On Saturday evening, according to Israel, emergency aid was also dropped from a plane in Gaza. The plane drop consisted of seven pallets of flour, sugar and canned goods, it was reported.
Several countries have offered to contribute aid via airdrops. Neighbouring Jordan has expressed a willingness to contribute, and the United Arab Emirates is also ready to send emergency aid immediately. The UK wants to assist through partners in the region.
However, dropping emergency aid from the air has been criticized as expensive, ineffective and dangerous, including by the UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (Unrwa).
– It is a diversionary maneuver and a smokescreen, wrote Unrwa head Philippe Lazzarini on X Saturday.
According to him, man-made famine can only be solved through political will.
– Lift the siege, open the gates and guarantee safe passage and dignified access for people in need.
– No one goes hungry there
Israel has long been under international pressure to deliver emergency aid to Palestinian civilians, and several countries and aid organizations have warned of a famine in the Gaza Strip if this does not happen.
Israeli authorities have disputed this several times, most recently on Saturday.
“No one is starving there,” an IDF announcement said.
Almost one in three residents of Gaza has not eaten for several days, the World Food Programme (WFP) said in a statement on Friday.
On Sunday afternoon, the WFP announced that they have emergency aid in or on the way that can feed the entire population of the Gaza Strip, and that 6,000 trucks are ready in Jordan and Egypt.
