Israel 'pauses' Gaza military activity as aid outcry grows
The World Health Organization said malnutrition has reached 'alarming levels' in Gaza


What happened
Israel announced Sunday it will pause military activity in Gaza City, Al-Mawasi and Deir al-Balah from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. "every day until further notice." The Israel Defense Forces also said "secure routes" for food and medical aid delivery would be established from 6 a.m. to 11 p.m.
The announcement came as the World Health Organization warned malnutrition had reached "alarming levels" in the region.
Who said what
"Nearly one in five children under five in Gaza City is now acutely malnourished," the WHO said, blaming "deliberate" efforts to block and delay aid. The "tactical pause" would refute this "false claim," the IDF said. Hamas said Israel was "whitewashing its image before the world."
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What next?
"The volume of aid needed is huge," said CNN, and "thousands of trucks" are waiting at Gaza's border crossing points. With long wait times expected, United Nations aid groups will need Israel to give trucks "really fast clearances and approvals" in order to "take advantage of these pauses," Ross Smith, the director of emergencies at the World Food Program, told Reuters. Both Israel and Hamas vowed to continue their respective military campaigns.
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Jessica Hullinger is a writer and former deputy editor of The Week Digital. Originally from the American Midwest, she completed a degree in journalism at Indiana University Bloomington before relocating to New York City, where she pursued a career in media. After joining The Week as an intern in 2010, she served as the title’s audience development manager, senior editor and deputy editor, as well as a regular guest on “The Week Unwrapped” podcast. Her writing has featured in other publications including Popular Science, Fast Company, Fortune, and Self magazine, and she loves covering science and climate-related issues.
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