Israel has declared a daily 10-hour pause in military operations across parts of Gaza to facilitate humanitarian aid delivery, while Jordan and the United Arab Emirates conducted emergency airdrops of supplies. The move comes amid stalled ceasefire negotiations between Israel and Hamas in Doha, with U.S. President Donald Trump stating Israel must "determine its next steps" independently.
Humanitarian Corridors Expand
From 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. daily, fighting will halt in Gaza City, central Deir al-Balah, and the Al-Mawasi coastal humanitarian zone. New aid routes for food and medicine convoys will operate from 6 a.m. to 11 p.m., with over 100 aid trucks reportedly cleared for entry on Sunday. The UN World Food Programme urged Israel to expedite approvals to maximize the pause's impact.
Airdrops and Risks
Jordan and the UAE delivered 23 tonnes of aid via parachute, their first joint airdrop in months. However, Palestinian health officials reported at least 10 injuries from falling aid boxes, highlighting risks of airborne deliveries. A Jordanian official emphasized that airdrops "cannot replace sustained land-based aid."
Water Pipeline and Malnutrition Crisis
Israel confirmed plans to begin construction on a UAE-funded pipeline transporting desalinated water from Egypt to 600,000 Gazans. Meanwhile, Gaza's Health Ministry reported six new malnutrition-related deaths in 24 hours, bringing the total starvation toll since 2023 to 133, including 87 children. Aid groups warn of catastrophic hunger affecting Gaza's 2.2 million residents as international concern grows.
