Israeli military implements daily suspenisons on humanitarian supplies transport to Gaza region
A ceasefire has been put in place by the military, occurring from 8:00 am to 7:00 pm local time (7:00 am to 6:00 pm Central European Summer Time), focusing on the route running from the Kerem Shalom crossing to Salah-al-Din Street and then heading northward. The path shown on an army-released map indicates the humanitarian route, leading to the European Hospital in the city of Rafah, which is roughly ten kilometers from Kerem Shalom. This decision was made after talks with the United Nations and other organizations.
However, it's worth noting that the far-right Israeli Minister of National Security, Itamar Ben Gvir, criticized the ceasefire announcement as part of a "crazy and delusional approach."
Despite the UN welcoming Israel's move, it hasn't led to an increase in aid reaching those in need, according to Jens Laerke, a spokesperson for the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA). Laerke hopes that this will lead to further significant actions from Israel to tackle the ongoing issues that negatively impact meaningful humanitarian assistance in Gaza.
Aid organizations have been highlighting the critical humanitarian situation in the Palestinian territory for months. The territory is reportedly experiencing a shortage of food and essential items, and thousands are struggling with water and food scarcity, while numerous children are experiencing acute malnutrition.
This news broke on the first day of the Islamic Feast of Sacrifice, Eid al-Adha. A resident of the Jabaliya refugee camp in the northern Gaza Strip, Umm Mohammed al-Katri, expressed her despair, stating, "This Eid is completely different. We have lost many people, there is a lot of destruction. We don't have the joy we usually have."
This conflict was sparked by Hamas' large-scale attack on Israel on October 7, resulting in the deaths of 1194 people and the taking of 251 into captivity in the Gaza Strip. Since then, Israel has been involved in extensive military operations in the Gaza Strip, with over 37,290 reportedly dead according to the Hamas-controlled health ministry.
On Sunday morning, there were no recorded reports of attacks, shelling, or fighting in the region. The Israeli military, however, stated that there was "no easing of hostilities in the southern Gaza Strip."
The day prior, in the southern Gaza Strip, eight Israeli soldiers were killed when their armored vehicle exploded near Rafah, a location of intense fighting. Reports suggest the explosion was caused by a landmine or a rocket-propelled grenade.
Netanyahu has expressed that he will only withdraw Israeli troops from the Gaza Strip once Hamas has been entirely destroyed. The intense military actions in Rafah, where many Palestinians have sought refuge from other regions of the Gaza Strip, are encountering heavy international scrutiny.
There are growing questions about the Israeli government's approach, as more people within Israel are becoming critical. Thousands protested again on Saturday in Tel Aviv against Netanyahu and his Gaza policy, demanding new elections, increased efforts to release hostages held by Hamas, and an end to military operations in the Gaza Strip.
The US government has been diligently working towards a ceasefire agreement between Israel and the Islamist Palestinian organization, Hamas, for months. Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant is rumored to be planning a trip to the US for discussions.
Lastly, the Israeli army engaged in another clash with the Lebanese Hezbollah militia on Saturday. Hezbollah claimed they struck an Israeli military post in Meron with "guided missiles" and launched "attack drones" on another Israeli post. The Israeli army acknowledged the firing of "two projectiles" at the military installation in Meron, but neither casualties nor damage ensued.
