Israel Allows Humanitarian Aid into Gaza After 127 Starvation Deaths

Israel has claimed that its decision to allow humanitarian aid into Gaza is aimed at addressing the ongoing famine crisis, following international pressure due to the deaths of 127 Palestinians from starvation.

On Saturday (July 26), the Israeli military announced the resumption of humanitarian corridors and the initiation of aid airdrops to deliver relief supplies to Gaza. This decision, Israel claims, is to control the deteriorating famine situation in the region. According to Egypt’s state-run Al Qahera News TV, aid trucks have already begun moving from Egypt toward Gaza.

The Israeli military stated that, as part of measures to address the worsening humanitarian situation, it will implement “tactical pauses” in its operations in three areas—Muwasi, Deir al-Balah, and Gaza City. Starting Sunday, military activities will be halted daily from 10:00 AM to 8:00 PM local time until further notice, although the military noted it is not currently conducting active operations in these areas. However, clashes and attacks have occurred in these regions in recent weeks. The Israeli military also announced it would designate safe routes to facilitate the delivery of food and other aid by relief organizations. Al Qahera TV reported on Sunday that hundreds of tons of aid supplies have been dispatched from the Rafah border crossing to the Kerem Shalom crossing in southern Gaza. Additionally, CNN reported that the Israeli military has initiated “controversial” airdrops. According to Middle East Eye, these airdrops, conducted in collaboration with international aid organizations, will include seven pallets of flour, sugar, and canned food supplied by foreign partners. However, humanitarian organizations argue that airdrops are largely symbolic and cannot replace the effectiveness of land-based aid deliveries. The Israeli military further stated it would support the expansion of a water purification plant in Gaza and provide electricity connections. However, over the past 21 months, Israeli operations have destroyed much of Gaza’s water and electricity infrastructure. Meanwhile, Emma Foro, a member of the European Parliament from France and part of the Handala mission heading to Gaza with aid supplies, posted on X that Israeli forces had approached their ship. She mentioned plans to throw their mobile phones into the sea for safety. Israel’s decision to allow aid has faced strong criticism from far-right National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir, who, according to CNN, described it as “surrendering to Hamas.” Since March, Israel had banned aid from the United Nations and other international humanitarian organizations, plunging nearly 2 million Gazans into a severe food crisis. Experts had long warned of an impending famine, and aid agencies, along with UN officials, had repeatedly called for the complete lifting of the blockade and unrestricted access for humanitarian aid. Israel had previously blocked UN aid, citing alleged ties to Hamas, and in May, with U.S. support, introduced the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF). However, the aid provided by GHF was grossly insufficient, leading to a catastrophic famine in the enclave.

According to Middle East Eye, 127 people, including at least 85 children, have died due to starvation. The director of Al-Shifa Hospital reported that five Palestinians, including two children, died of hunger in the past 24 hours alone.