Israel’s announcement of a “tactical pause” in its military operations in Gaza was swiftly overshadowed by continued airstrikes, civilian deaths, and escalating hunger across the besieged Palestinian enclave. Despite pledges to temporarily halt fighting in certain areas to allow humanitarian aid, at least 62 Palestinians were killed on the first day of the pause, including 34 people seeking food and relief, according to Gaza health officials. Six more Palestinians, including two children, died of starvation in the same 24-hour period, bringing the total starvation death toll to 133.
The Israeli military said the pause, running daily from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. local time in areas such as Gaza City, Deir al-Balah, and Muwasi, would allow minimal humanitarian supplies into Gaza. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has described the measure as a necessary balance between continuing the war and permitting aid. But humanitarian experts and international observers say the measure fails to meet even the most basic humanitarian standards.
“The Israeli government’s so-called ‘tactical pauses’ are a cruel and transparent farce,” said Edward Ahmed Mitchell, national deputy director of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR). “There is nothing humane or tactical about letting a trickle of aid in after a man-made famine has started while continuing to bomb starving men, women, and children, even in so-called safe zones. These actions are not pauses—they are part of an ongoing genocide that the world must act to stop.”
The World Food Programme (WFP) welcomed the idea of humanitarian corridors but warned that only a cease-fire would ensure consistent and safe food distribution. “An agreed ceasefire is the only way for humanitarian assistance to reach the entire civilian population in Gaza with critical food supplies in a consistent, predictable, orderly and safe manner—wherever they are across the Gaza Strip,” the agency said.
Since the partial reopening of border crossings on May 27, WFP has delivered just 22,000 tons of food—about a third of the over 62,000 tons needed each month for Gaza’s population. “Deadly airdrops and a trickle of trucks won’t undo months of engineered starvation in Gaza,” said Bushra Khalidi, Oxfam’s policy lead for the Occupied Palestinian territory. “What’s needed is the immediate opening of all crossings for full, unhindered, and safe aid delivery across all of Gaza and a permanent cease-fire. Anything less risks being little more than a tactical gesture.”
Despite Israeli claims of easing restrictions, international organizations continue to report attacks on civilians seeking aid. The World Health Organization (WHO) stated, “Families are being forced to risk their lives for a handful of food, often under dangerous and chaotic conditions. Since 27 May, more than 1,060 people have been killed and 7,200 injured while trying to access food.” Most of the 74 malnutrition-related deaths this year occurred in July, with 24 children under five among the victims.
Philippe Lazzarini, Commissioner-General of UNRWA, criticized the recent trend of airdropping aid. “Airdrops will not reverse the deepening starvation. They are expensive, inefficient, and can even kill starving civilians. It is a distraction and screensmoke,” he said. “A man-made hunger can only be addressed by political will. Lift the siege, open the gates, and guarantee safe movements and dignified access to people in need.”
On the ground in Gaza, displaced residents echoed this sentiment. “From 6:00 am until now we didn’t eat or drink. We didn’t get aid from the trucks. After that, they said that planes will airdrop aid, so we waited for that as well,” said Massad Ghaban to Reuters. “The planes are insulting for us. We are a people who deserve dignity.”
Children, pregnant women, and breastfeeding mothers are among the hardest hit. The WHO has warned of a spike in maternal malnutrition, reporting that over 20 percent of pregnant and nursing women are acutely malnourished. One mother, Falestine Ahmed, told Al Jazeera, “I used to weigh 57kg [126 pounds], now I weigh 42kg [93 pounds], and both my son and I have been diagnosed with severe malnutrition. We barely have any food at home, and even when it’s available, it’s far too expensive for us to afford.”
At Gaza’s al-Awda Hospital, staff are overwhelmed by the influx of malnourished children. Majeda Wahdan brought her child to the facility after he developed serious complications. “The doctors told me he’s suffering from acute malnutrition. I used to breastfeed him, but it wasn’t enough. I was receiving milk from UNRWA. Now that supply has run out,” she said.
Israeli airstrikes have continued to hit populated areas, even in designated “safe zones.” Gaza health officials reported that a woman and her four children were killed in an airstrike on an apartment in Gaza City during the pause. Additional attacks in Khan Younis and Bani Suheila claimed more lives, despite the supposed daily cease in operations.
United Nations and humanitarian officials have long insisted that aid must come through established land routes—not airdrops—to meet the scale of need. “Whilst airdrops will help to alleviate the worst of the suffering, land routes serve as the only viable and sustainable means of providing aid into Gaza,” said UK Foreign Secretary David Lammy. “These measures must be fully implemented and further barriers on aid removed. The world is watching.”
Lammy added, “This announcement alone cannot alleviate the needs of those desperately suffering in Gaza. We need a ceasefire that can end the war, for hostages to be released and aid to enter Gaza by land unhindered.”
The Israeli government has defended its conduct. Energy Minister Eli Cohen told Kan broadcaster that Israel is acting “in accordance with international law,” and said international cooperation has helped avoid sanctions. “Although adhering to it [international law] may sometimes be emotionally challenging, it helps us continue fighting to achieve our objectives,” he said.
However, the European Union is reportedly reviewing Israel’s actions for potential violations of human rights obligations, and public pressure is growing. German Chancellor Friedrich Merz urged Netanyahu to “do everything in his power to achieve an immediate ceasefire” and ensure that “this aid must reach the civilian population quickly, safely, and in the required quantities.”
Even within Israel, criticism is mounting. A group of 341 Israeli academics issued a statement calling for an end to the “atrocities” and a swift opening of aid corridors. “Medical aid, food, and water must be allowed in immediately, and the firing on unarmed civilians must cease,” they said.
Philippe Lazzarini also condemned Israeli accusations that Hamas has stolen humanitarian aid. “No proof of aid diversion in Gaza,” he stated. “Claims were only aimed at tarnishing the reputation of the humanitarian community & attempting to replace it with a diabolic and politically motivated distribution scheme. It’s time for principled and at scale humanitarian response including through UNRWA.”
Activists attempting to bring aid via sea were also stopped. The Freedom Flotilla’s Handala vessel was seized in international waters by Israeli forces. “Despite repeated demands, Israeli authorities have refused to allow Adalah’s lawyers access to the detained activists to provide legal consultation,” said legal group Adalah. “The vessel was intercepted in international waters and their detention constitutes a clear violation of international law.”
Meanwhile, Netanyahu has vowed to press forward with the military campaign. “Let it be clear that we will achieve our goal and destroy Hamas,” he said.
As the toll continues to rise—59,821 Palestinians have been killed and 144,851 wounded since the war began in October 2023—calls for accountability grow louder. Humanitarian organizations maintain that anything short of a permanent ceasefire and full, unfettered access to aid will only deepen the crisis.
“No more statements,” CAIR’s Mitchell said. “Our government, Western nations, and Arab Muslim nations must act immediately to end the genocide, allow unfettered humanitarian aid into Gaza, secure the release of all captives and political prisoners, and hold Israeli leaders accountable for war crimes. Every moment of inaction contributes to the unimaginable suffering of everyone in Gaza.”
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