Israel to begin limited daily pauses in fighting as aid drops resume over Gaza

Foreign aid drops over Gaza have resumed as international outrage intensifies over a deepening hunger crisis widely blamed on Israel. Jordan, with support from the UAE, has airdropped essential supplies including flour, sugar, and canned food to desperate civilians.

The World Food Program warns that a third of Gaza’s two million residents have gone days without food, while nearly half a million face famine-like conditions. Shocking images of emaciated children have circulated globally, prompting strong criticism even from Israel’s closest allies over the ongoing war and the humanitarian catastrophe it has triggered.

UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk called the situation “dystopian,” citing over 1,000 people killed while trying to access food since late May. He said militarized aid distribution centers run by the US- and Israeli-backed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation are “failing utterly.” According to Gaza’s Health Ministry, more than 200,000 Palestinians have been killed or injured since October 7, roughly 10% of the population. Türk also condemned the killing of over 300 UN staff by Israeli strikes, urging countries to ensure Israel meets its obligation to provide essential aid.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has pushed back, accusing the UN of “excuses and lies” and insisting that Israel is allowing humanitarian access via secure roads.

As backlash grows, the Israeli military has begun limited daily pauses in fighting, lasting 10 hours in three densely populated areas, to allow for aid distribution and civilian movement.