Israel Launches Aid Drops Into Gaza

The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) will implement a humanitarian pause in several population centers across the Gaza Strip beginning Sunday morning and lasting until the evening, according to senior Israeli officials.

On Saturday night, the Israeli Air Force conducted air drops of food into Gaza. The IDF said additional air drops are expected in the coming days, including from Jordan and the UAE.

The pause is part of a broader set of measures approved Saturday by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in response to mounting international criticism over the catastrophic humanitarian crisis in Gaza.

It marks the first time Israel has paused military operations in Gaza since March, when it unilaterally resumed the war and halted the delivery of humanitarian aid.

Israeli officials said the humanitarian pauses will take place both in southern parts and the northern parts of Gaza.

During these pauses, the IDF will allow safe access for the UN and other aid organizations to reach population centers.

The pauses will be repeated from time to time as needed, according to senior Israeli officials.

"In accordance with the directives of the political echelon and following a situation assessment held this evening, the IDF has begun a series of actions to improve the humanitarian response in the Gaza Strip," the IDF said in a statement Saturday.

The IDF said it would establish "humanitarian corridors" to allow safe passage for UN convoys and aid organizations delivering food and medicine.

"The IDF is prepared for humanitarian pauses in areas where there are population concentrations and will continue to operate against terrorists in operational areas at the same time," the IDF stressed.

The IDF also announced that Israel has reconnected a power line to operate Gaza's southern desalination plant.

The move is expected to increase water output from 2,000 to 20,000 cubic meters per day — enough to serve roughly 900,000 residents.

The Hamas-controlled Gaza Health Ministry said Friday nine more people had died of starvation-related complications over the previous 24 hours.

The ministry said 122 Palestinians have died in recent days of similar symptoms, including 83 children.

Israel has denied that starvation is occurring in Gaza, calling it Hamas propaganda. But an Israeli official admitted that the humanitarian situation is dire.

The leaders of the U.K., Germany and France held an "emergency" phone call on Friday to discuss the crisis, issuing a joint statement that called for "all parties to bring an end to the conflict by reaching an immediate ceasefire."

They described the situation as a "humanitarian catastrophe" that "must end now," and urged Israel to lift restrictions on the flow of aid and allow the UN and humanitarian NGOs to operate freely to combat starvation.

"Israel must uphold its obligations under international humanitarian law," the leaders stressed.

Amid the mounting international pressure, Netanyahu held a meeting on Friday to discuss the humanitarian situation in Gaza.

Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa'ar urged immediate steps to address the crisis — including a humanitarian pause — but Defense Minister Israel Katz objected, and the meeting ended without a decision.

On Saturday night, Netanyahu convened another conference call with Sa'ar, Katz and other senior ministers. This time, Katz dropped his opposition, and the decision was made to implement the pause starting Sunday morning.

Netanyahu did not invite far-right ministers Bezalel Smotrich and Itamar Ben Gvir — both vocal opponents of humanitarian pauses — and only informed them after the decision had been finalized.