- The army said the pause would begin in the Rafah area at 8 a.m. (0500 GMT, 1 a.m. eastern) and remain in effect until 7 p.m. (1600 GMT, noon eastern).
- It said the pauses would take place every day until further notice.
- The crossing has suffered from a bottleneck since Israeli ground troops moved into Rafah in early May.
The Israeli military has announced a “tactical pause” in its offensive in southern Gaza to facilitate increased humanitarian aid deliveries. Starting at 8 a.m. local time on Sunday, the pause will last until 7 p.m. daily, allowing aid trucks to reach the Kerem Shalom crossing and travel safely along the Salah a-Din highway. This move is coordinated with the U.N. and international aid agencies.
Israel’s eight-month offensive against Hamas has led to a severe humanitarian crisis in Gaza. The U.N. reports significant shortages, with an average of only 68 aid trucks entering daily from May 6 to June 6, far below the required 500 trucks per day. The new arrangement provides an 11-hour window each day for aid deliveries, aiming to alleviate the crisis and ensure aid reaches those in need.
