Israel will pause daily attacks in southern Gaza so more aid can arrive

The Israeli army has announced that it will pause daily attacks in the southern Gaza Strip starting this Sunday. The breaks will be between 8am and 7pm (local time) to allow for the distribution of humanitarian aid in the area.

The decision comes after “discussions with the UN and international organizations,” the Israeli Defense Forces said in a statement.

The route of the daily Israeli “humanitarian breaks” can be seen on a map shared by authorities, stretching from the Kerem Shalom crossing in the south to the Khan Younis European Hospital.

Since the Israeli army entered Rafah, in southern Gaza, early last month, the border crossing to Egypt – through which much of the humanitarian aid to the enclave passes – remains closed, as well as the border crossing to Kerem Shalom in the south. Supplies only come in sporadically.

The situation has forced hospitals and clinics to close and has exacerbated a previously catastrophic humanitarian crisis, as reported by international organizations such as Doctors Without Borders.

According to the military, the daily lulls in attacks started yesterday, Saturday.

The announcement also comes a day after the Israeli army suffered its deadliest day in Gaza since the war began, with the deaths of eight soldiers when the armored vehicle they were traveling in exploded.

The statement from the armed forces revealed that the blast of a bomb hit the vehicle, which was loaded with explosive material, causing it to also explode, causing a large explosion.

Since the start of the war, more than 37,200 Gazans, most of them women and children, have been killed in continuous attacks by Israeli forces, in addition to 307 Israeli soldiers.