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Israel has agreed to permit the entry of a “basic amount” of food into Gaza following a total blockade lasting over two months, the prime minister’s office confirmed on Sunday. The announcement comes as international pressure intensifies over worsening humanitarian conditions in the Palestinian territory.
The decision followed the Israeli military’s launch of “extensive ground operations” across northern and southern Gaza, marking a new phase in Israel’s invasion of Gaza. Officials said the limited aid measure was recommended by the military to prevent a full-scale hunger crisis that could jeopardise operational objectives.
The Israeli government added that efforts would be made to prevent Hamas from intercepting or misappropriating the aid.
Israel’s total blockade, in place since March 2, has caused severe shortages of food, water, fuel, and medical supplies. Humanitarian agencies and foreign leaders, including US President Donald Trump and France’s Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot, have urged Israel to restore aid access. Trump recently acknowledged, “a lot of people are starving,” and pledged that “we’re going to get that taken care of.”
The announcement coincided with reports of new Israeli troop deployments and heavy strikes in Gaza. Military officials said more than 670 ‘Hamas targets’ were struck over the past week. Meanwhile, negotiations mediated by Qatar, Egypt, and the US are underway in Doha to try to end the Israeli onslaught and secure a hostage release deal.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office confirmed Israel is pursuing a deal under what it called the Witkoff framework—named after US Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff. This would include the release of all hostages, the exile of Hamas leaders, and the disarmament of the enclave. However, key disagreements remain, particularly over the terms of a permanent ceasefire and the sequencing of prisoner releases.
On the ground, the toll continues to mount. Gaza’s civil defence agency said at least 50 people were killed on Sunday, including 22 in a single strike on tents for displaced people in Al-Mawasi, majority of whom civilian women and children. Footage showed families sifting through rubble and injured civilians being treated in makeshift facilities.
In the north, the Indonesian Hospital in Beit Lahia was forced out of service, according to the Gaza health ministry, effectively leaving the area without a functioning public hospital. Officials also warned of rising famine-related deaths among children, with at least 57 reportedly dying from hunger since the Israeli blockade began.
The recent Israeli bombardment of Gaza, now in its eighth month, was triggered by Hamas’s attack on October 7, 2023, which reportedly left 1,218 people dead in Israel and saw 251 taken hostage, according to Israeli figures. Israel says 57 hostages remain in Gaza, 34 of whom are believed to be dead. Gaza’s health ministry puts the death toll there at 53,339, with majority being women and children; with 3,193 killed since Israeli air strikes resumed in March.
