Israel’s military announced on Friday that it would halt the limited mid-day pauses previously allowing humanitarian aid into Gaza City, describing the area as “a dangerous combat zone.”
The daily pauses, which were introduced last month, had permitted the flow of food and relief supplies between 10 a.m. and 8 p.m. into Gaza City, Deir al-Balah and Muwasi—areas sheltering hundreds of thousands of displaced Palestinians. The decision to suspend them comes as Israel signals plans to escalate its offensive in Gaza City, following recent strikes on key neighborhoods and the mobilization of tens of thousands of reservists.
Israel maintains that Gaza City remains a Hamas stronghold, citing an extensive tunnel network still in use by militants despite repeated military operations. The city also houses essential health facilities and other critical infrastructure.
The United Nations warned on Thursday that a fresh Israeli incursion could eliminate nearly half of Gaza’s hospital bed capacity. The suspension of the pauses follows last week’s declaration by the world’s top food security body that famine had taken hold in Gaza City after months of dire warnings.
Aid groups say the conditions are already making humanitarian response nearly impossible. “We have faced unprecedented access and movement restrictions,” said Shaina Low, a spokesperson for the Norwegian Refugee Council, which coordinates a coalition of relief organizations in Gaza. “Intensified military operations are going to further hinder our ability to respond.”
