By: Fern Sidman

Amid mounting international pressure and accusations of creating a humanitarian crisis in Gaza, Israel has agreed to implement limited daily “humanitarian pauses” and expand the flow of aid into the Hamas-controlled enclave. According to a detailed report by Israel National News on Sunday, the policy shift comes in response to significant diplomatic pressure from the United States and growing claims by the United Nations of an inability to operate in areas of active combat.

The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) announced over the weekend that it had adopted new measures, including a daily 10-hour humanitarian pause in densely populated zones such as Gaza City, Deir al-Balah, and the Muwasi humanitarian corridor. The objective, according to Israeli officials, is to enable the United Nations and international aid organizations to safely distribute food, medical supplies, and other critical resources to civilians, while still continuing military operations against Hamas.

According to the information provided in the Israel National News report, some within Israel’s security establishment have criticized the decision, arguing that pauses in fighting compromise critical leverage in ongoing negotiations for the release of Israeli hostages still held by Hamas. The pauses, in effect functioning as temporary ceasefires, are primarily aimed at pressuring the UN to step up its role in humanitarian logistics.

In recent days, Israel has also significantly increased the volume of humanitarian aid permitted to enter Gaza, responding directly to what it called Hamas’ orchestrated “starvation campaign.” In a statement issued following a situational assessment, the IDF made it clear that these efforts were designed to refute what it labeled as false accusations of deliberate starvation in the Strip.

As part of these expanded efforts, the IDF resumed aerial airdrops of humanitarian aid over Gaza on Saturday night. These operations, coordinated with the Israeli Air Force and COGAT (the Coordinator of Government Activities in the Territories), involved the delivery of seven pallets containing flour, sugar, and canned food. The supplies were procured through international organizations and dropped in areas designated as safe for collection.

The report at Israel National News noted that the humanitarian effort is being carefully coordinated with international agencies to ensure aid reaches civilian populations — and not Hamas operatives. Designated humanitarian corridors have also been established to facilitate the safe passage of UN convoys.

In a public statement, the IDF emphasized that “there is no starvation in the Gaza Strip,” countering narratives circulating in international media. “This is a false campaign promoted by Hamas,” the statement read. “Responsibility for food distribution to the population in Gaza lies with the UN and international aid organizations.”

The IDF further emphasized its continued commitment to operational objectives. “Combat operations have not ceased. We will continue to operate in the Gaza Strip to return all hostages and to defeat the Hamas terrorist organization, both above and below ground.”

This past week alone, over 250 aid trucks were unloaded at crossings into Gaza, according to the Israel National News report. An additional 600 trucks were successfully collected and distributed by the UN and other international actors. However, many more remain waiting at the Kerem Shalom Crossing, highlighting ongoing inefficiencies in distribution logistics.

In a show of transparency, IDF Spokesperson Rear Admiral Daniel Hagari and senior officers from COGAT invited journalists to observe the operations at the Kerem Shalom Crossing. Brig. Gen. Effie Defrin, the IDF’s chief spokesperson, delivered a pointed message while standing in front of stacked aid boxes awaiting pickup.

“Let me be clear: Israel supports aid for civilians, not for Hamas,” Defrin said. “The IDF will continue to support the flow of humanitarian aid to the people of Gaza.” He added that Israel was doing everything in its power to enable the delivery of aid, and that delays or disruptions were largely due to UN logistical challenges on the ground.

“In order to reach even more civilians,” Defrin explained, “the IDF has conducted an airdrop operation of humanitarian supplies, led by COGAT, with international aid organizations. In addition, we are now implementing daily humanitarian pauses and designated corridors to allow safe movement for aid distribution.”

Israel National News also reported that, in a major infrastructural move, Israel has connected a power line to the main desalination plant in Gaza in cooperation with the Israel Electric Corporation. The new line is expected to increase water output to approximately 20,000 cubic meters per day — a tenfold increase from the 2,000 cubic meters previously supplied — serving up to 900,000 residents in the area.

The IDF stated unequivocally that the humanitarian measures do not signal a change in the ultimate strategic objective: the complete dismantlement of Hamas’s military and political infrastructure. “Let us not forget,” said Defrin, “the tragedy that Hamas inflicted on both the people of Israel and the people of Gaza, by launching a war and embedding itself within civilian areas, must not be ignored.”

Defrin concluded with a firm reaffirmation of the IDF’s dual commitment to its operational mission and its ethical obligations: “We will bring our hostages home, and we will defeat Hamas. We will achieve our mission while maintaining the values that define the IDF, even under fire.”

The humanitarian initiatives reflect the complex balancing act Israel faces on the international stage, where it must weigh operational necessity against mounting pressure to ease civilian suffering. As Israel National News highlighted in its report, while Israel’s leadership remains steadfast in its campaign against Hamas, it is equally determined to counter the narrative that its policies have been indiscriminately punitive.

With global scrutiny intensifying and negotiations for hostages continuing in parallel, the coming weeks are expected to test both the resilience of the IDF’s campaign and the viability of humanitarian corridors in one of the world’s most densely populated conflict zones.