DEIR AL-BALAH, Gaza Strip. After nearly three months of a full blockade, Israel has announced it will permit a limited quantity of humanitarian aid into the Gaza Strip, responding to growing international concerns over the worsening humanitarian crisis and warnings of famine from global food security experts.
The decision, made public on Sunday, comes as Israel intensifies its military operations in Gaza. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu emphasized that the country must act to avoid a starvation crisis that could undermine Israel’s renewed offensive against Hamas.
“A starvation crisis would jeopardize Israel’s new military offensive in Gaza,” Netanyahu said, as his Cabinet approved the plan to allow a “basic” amount of food into the besieged territory, home to over 2 million Palestinians. However, specific details regarding the timing and method of aid entry remain unclear. Israel’s military agency responsible for coordinating aid did not provide any further comment.
Israel began its total blockade of Gaza on March 2, cutting off all food, medical supplies, and humanitarian assistance to pressure Hamas into accepting a new ceasefire proposal. The war resumed shortly thereafter, ending a fragile two-month truce. Since then, airstrikes and ground offensives have escalated sharply.
On Sunday, Israel launched what it described as “extensive” ground operations across both the northern and southern parts of Gaza. Hospitals and emergency services reported that airstrikes killed at least 103 people, including dozens of children. Nasser Hospital in Khan Younis reported more than 48 deaths in southern Gaza, including 18 children and 13 women. In northern Gaza, strikes on homes in Jabaliya killed at least 19 people from two families, including seven children and a woman, according to Gaza’s civil defense and emergency medical staff.
Jabaliya resident Abu Mohammad Yassin, speaking amid the chaos, voiced deep frustration:
“When the Jews want a truce, Hamas refuses, and when Hamas wants a truce, the Jews refuse it. Both sides agree to exterminate the Palestinian people,” he said. “For God’s sake, have mercy on us. We are tired of displacement.”
The renewed Israeli assault has forced thousands to flee once again, many on foot or using donkey carts, as safe zones become increasingly scarce.
Israel’s military, which recently mobilized tens of thousands of reservists, said its ground operations aim to “dissect” the Gaza Strip and dismantle Hamas infrastructure. Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir, Israel’s chief of staff, confirmed that recent strikes had killed dozens of militants and hit more than 670 targets. The military maintains that civilian casualties are a result of Hamas operating within densely populated areas.
Meanwhile, negotiations for a ceasefire remain at an impasse. Israel is demanding a temporary halt in hostilities tied to the release of hostages held by Hamas, while Hamas insists on a full Israeli withdrawal and a concrete path to ending the war.
As conditions in Gaza deteriorate further, aid agencies and international observers warn that any delay in delivering food and medical supplies could deepen an already critical humanitarian catastrophe.
Si Venus L Peñaflor ay naging editor-in-chief ng Newsworld, isang lokal na pahayagan ng Laguna. Publisher din siya ng Daystar Gazette at Tutubi News Magazine. Siya ay isa ring pintor at doll face designer ng Ninay Dolls, ang unang Manikang Pilipino. Kasali siya sa DesignCrowd sa rank na #305 sa 640,000 graphic designers sa buong daigdig. Kasama din siya sa unang Local TV Broadcast sa Laguna na Beyond Manila. Aktibong kasapi siya ng San Pablo Jaycees Senate bilang isang JCI Senator.
- Venus L Peñaflorhttps://tutubi.ph/author/venusp/
- Venus L Peñaflorhttps://tutubi.ph/author/venusp/
- Venus L Peñaflorhttps://tutubi.ph/author/venusp/
- Venus L Peñaflorhttps://tutubi.ph/author/venusp/
