Israel announces 10-hour military activity pause for aid in parts of Gaza Strip (Ld)

Jerusalem, July 27 (IANS) The Israel Defence Forces (IDF) has announced that the military will carry out a "local tactical pause of military activity" in densely populated areas of the Gaza Strip, starting from 10 a.m. (local time) to 8 p.m. (local time).

The military said that the "pause" will be implemented "every day until further notice" in areas where the IDF is not currently carrying out operations with ground troops, including Deir al-Balah, al-Mawasi and Gaza City, The Times of Israel reported.

According to the military, the decision has been taken "in accordance with directives from the political echelon, and as part of the IDF's ongoing effort, led by COGAT, to increase the scope of humanitarian aid entering the Gaza Strip."

The Israeli military said that the decision was coordinated with the UN and international organisations following discussions regarding the matter.

In addition, the IDF said "secure routes" will be designated from 6 a.m. (local time) to 11 p.m. (local time) to enable the safe passage of United Nations and humanitarian aid organisation convoys delivering and distributing food and medicine among the people in the Gaza Strip.

The army further stated, "The IDF will continue to support humanitarian efforts alongside ongoing manoeuvring and offensive operations against terrorist organisations in the Gaza Strip, in order to protect Israeli civilians. The IDF is prepared to expand the scale of this activity as required."

Earlier this week, the UN humanitarians warned that the already catastrophic conditions in Gaza are fast worsening as the starvation crisis deepens amid military operations.

In a statement on Friday, the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) said, "Life is being drained out of Gaza, as systems and services are on the verge of collapse."

--IANS

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