Gaza Humanitarian Crisis: Israeli Military Announces Ceasefire for Aid
The Israeli military announced a "tactical pause" on Sunday in its offensive in southern Gaza to facilitate the increased delivery of humanitarian aid, according to AP.
The army specified that the pause will begin in the Rafah area at 8:00 a.m. and will remain in effect until 7:00 p.m. The pauses are scheduled daily until further notice.
The purpose of the pause is to enable aid trucks to reach the nearby Kerem Shalom crossing point, controlled by Israel and serving as the primary entry point for incoming aid. From there, the trucks can safely travel to the Salah al-Din highway, a major north-south route, to distribute supplies to other parts of Gaza, the army explained. It added that the pause was coordinated with the UN and international aid agencies.
The crossing point has been closed since Israeli ground troops entered Rafah at the beginning of May.
Israel's eight-month military campaign against the Hamas militant group has plunged Gaza into a humanitarian crisis, with the UN reporting widespread famine and hundreds of thousands of people on the brink of starvation. The international community has urged Israel to intensify efforts to alleviate the crisis.
The flow of aid into southern Gaza has decreased as humanitarian needs have grown. Over 1 million Palestinians, many of whom were already displaced, fled Rafah after the invasion, crowding into other parts of southern and central Gaza.
Translation by Iurie Tataru
