Residents of Gaza have cautiously welcomed reports of a temporary humanitarian pause to allow aid into the besieged enclave, but many say the relief must be the beginning of a broader, lasting solution to the deepening crisis.
Israel’s military said it will open humanitarian corridors to allow convoys of food and medicine to enter, after warnings of starvation and weeks of international pressure.
For months, Gaza’s population of more than two million has faced extreme shortages of food, clean water, and basic medical supplies as bombardment and border closures have brought daily life to a standstill.
“Of course I feel a bit of hope again, but also worried that starvation would continue once the pause is over,” said Rasha Al-Sheikh Khalil, a 39-year-old mother-of-four in Gaza City.
She added: “One convoy of aid or a few air drop packages won’t be enough. We need a real solution, an end to this nightmare, an end to the war.”
Israel’s announcement on Sunday came after it said it made an airdrop of aid into Gaza of “seven packages of aid containing flour, sugar and canned food”.
Jordan and the UAE also say they have a plan, backed by the UK, to drop aid into the territory, but aid agencies have said such moves would do little to mitigate the hunger of Gazans.
Israel denied what it called “the false claim of deliberate starvation” in Gaza.
Medical experts in Gaza say malnutrition is becoming widespread, especially among children and those with specific dietary needs.
Credit: bbc.com
