Israel announces 'tactical pause' to fighting & says it will open aid corridors

Response from United Nations relief chief Tom Fletcher:
“Welcome announcement of humanitarian pauses in Gaza to allow our aid through,” Fletcher, the United Nations’ Emergency Relief Coordinator, posted on X. “In contact with our teams on the ground who will do all we can to reach as many starving people as we can in this window.”

UN World Food Programme also positive about the move:
“These new commitments to improve operating conditions come on top of earlier assurances from Israel to strengthen facilitation of humanitarian assistance,” the programme said in a statement.
But, it added, an “agreed ceasefire is the only way for humanitarian assistance to reach the entire civilian population in Gaza.”

Joe English for Unicef provided a more cautious response:.
“This is a short turnaround in terms of the notice that we have and so we cannot work miracles,” he told CNN’s Polo Sandoval. “We are able to prevent malnutrition, we are able to treat malnutrition but it will not happen in a day.”

edition.cnn.com/world/live-news/israel-hamas-gaza-news-07-27-25

International aid agencies say that only a huge increase in aid entering by land will avert mass starvation in Gaza.

So as long as these steps by Israel continue, it seems that the course of starvation can be changed.

The total number of people who have died from a lack of food reached 127 on Friday, according to Hamas.

Yes I hope so.

Anything that deescalates tension can only be a good thing.

I do think Hamas probably took strength from the anti Israel feeling the shortage of humanitarian aid in Gaza was provoking. Even from a purely propaganda point of view, the government should have done this sooner. As well as from a humanitarian point of view, obviously.

I agree with you that international pressure has made some difference.

Also that air drops are not very effective, though better than nothing as I said on another thread.

Now the IDF has announced the tactical pauses and safe passage for aid ( & lorries full of aid are already coming in from Egypt & Jordan already) it makes the air drops seem less important. Though they will still have a role to play in some areas.

BBC Live reporting that this tactical pause in fighting has been welcomed by people on the ground and "We expect 180 trucks to come in from Egypt and 60 trucks from Jordan".

Jordan’s security agency has posted a video on social media, external, purportedly showing a line of aid-loaded trucks moving along the road.
“Happening now, huge Jordanian relief convoys are moving towards Gaza,” the Public Security Directorate says on X.

Earlier, Egypt's al-Qahera News also reported that aid lorries have now started moving towards the Gaza Strip from the Egyptian side of the Rafah crossing.

Aid trucks begin entering Gaza through the Rafah crossing

Also reported today:

Military pause comes as hunger crisis fears deepen

Over the last few minutes we've heard from the Israeli military that there will be "a local tactical pause in military activity" in three areas of Gaza.

The move comes as concerns are growing over the humanitarian situation facing Palestinians in the Strip.

The Hamas-run health ministry has said five more deaths were recorded in Gaza due to malnutrition on Friday - bringing the total number of people who have died from a lack of food to 127.

Two thirds of them are children, the ministry added.

The head of the UN agency for Palestinian refugees Philippe Lazzarini has described this hunger crisis as "manmade". He also criticised air drops of aid as expensive and inefficient.

www.bbc.co.uk/news/live/ckg42k37e2pt