In the wake of Hamas’s libelous campaign of “starvation in Gaza,” leading to intense international pressure on Israel, the IDF announced on Sunday morning that beginning immediately, military activity will be suspended from 10:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. “for humanitarian needs.”

The move comes after Israel carried out its first airdrop of humanitarian aid to its enemy in Gaza on Motzei Shabbos.

“In accordance with the directives of the political echelon and as part of the IDF’s ongoing effort through the Coordinator of Government Activities in the Territories (COGAT) to increase the volume of humanitarian aid entering the Gaza Strip, starting today (Sunday), a local tactical pause of military activity will begin for humanitarian needs from 10:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m.,” the announcement stated.

“The pause will begin in areas where the IDF is not operating—Al-Mawasi, Deir al-Balah, and Gaza City—every day until further notice.” It was also stated that the decision was coordinated with the UN and international organizations after discussions on the matter.

Additionally, the IDF announced that it has established secure routes that will be open daily from 6:00 a.m. to 11:00 p.m which will allow the safe movement of UN convoys and aid organizations for the entry and distribution of food and medicine to “innocent civilians” in Gaza.

Following the annoucement, Egyptian media outlets reported on Sunday that aid trucks had begun entering the Gaza strip.

National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir slammed the government’s decision. “On Motzei Shabbos, I was updated by a source in the Prime Minister’s office that a security consultation took place on Shabbat without me (the official claim: ‘so as not to desecrate Shabbat’ – when they know very well that as Minister of National Security I am available on Shabbat for any important security event and consultation) in which it was decided to increase the amount of ‘humanitarian’ aid entering Gaza,” he wrote on X.

“I told the official from the office that this is a surrender to Hamas’s false campaign, which endangers IDF soldiers, and that this surrender is several times more serious after the Prime Minister said on Friday that ‘we will examine alternative ways to release the hostages.’ It turns out that the ‘alternative way’ is to surrender to Hamas and its false campaigns and to increase the humanitarian aid that goes directly to it [Hamas]. This path delays the return of the hostages and, more importantly, hinders the achievement of total victory in the war.”

(YWN Israel Desk—Jerusalem)