The Israeli army has killed dozens of individuals in Gaza because the hunger disaster within the territory deepens amid a global outcry, with extra Palestinians dying of malnutrition.
Medical sources informed Al Jazeera that Israeli assaults killed not less than 71 individuals throughout Gaza on Saturday, together with 42 desperately searching for help.
The Ministry of Well being in Gaza additionally stated that hospitals have recorded 5 extra deaths as a result of starvation brought on by the Israeli blockade of the enclave, bringing the whole dying toll from malnutrition to 127 for the reason that conflict started. The victims embrace 85 youngsters.
With anger the world over mounting over the crisis, Israel introduced late on Saturday that it might implement a pause to its assault “in civilian facilities and in humanitarian corridors to allow the distribution of help provide” on Sunday.
The Israeli Ministry of International Affairs didn’t specify which particular areas would see a “humanitarian pause”.
The ministry additionally once more blamed the United Nations for failing to distribute help in Gaza, a declare that has been rejected by each the UN and a number of help and rights teams.
UN officers have stated that this Israeli speaking level is fake, stressing that they haven’t obtained the required permits to soundly distribute help within the besieged enclave.
Airdrops’ impact is ‘equal to none’
The Israeli army additionally stated it carried out airdrops of worldwide help over Gaza. The United Arab Emirates, which has shut financial and diplomatic ties with Israel, additionally stated it should start airdropping help into Gaza “instantly”.
However humanitarian specialists have been warning since final yr that airdrops are harmful to individuals on the bottom and can’t function an alternative choice to protected land routes to distribute food and medical provides.
Earlier on Saturday, Philippe Lazzarini, the pinnacle of the UN company for Palestinian refugees, UNRWA, known as airdrops an costly, inefficient “distraction” that might “not reverse the deepening hunger”.
Lazzarini known as for Israel to “elevate the siege, open the gates [and] assure protected actions [and] dignified entry to individuals in want”.
Reporting from Gaza Metropolis, Al Jazeera’s Hani Mahmoud raised questions over the newly introduced Israeli steps.
He stated the airdrops’ impact is “equal to none”.
“We’re speaking about solely seven pallets of help full of flour and different primary requirements. That’s virtually the load of 1 truck, or half of a truck, coming from the crossings into the Gaza Strip,” Mahmoud stated.
He cited witnesses who stated the airdrops occurred close to a restricted military area in northern Gaza, making retrieving them at the hours of darkness particularly tough.
Equally, Israel’s plan to permit for so-called “humanitarian pauses” in Gaza beginning on Sunday could have no main impact on the hunger disaster, Mahmoud stated.
“Once more, this isn’t an answer after we speak about passing the tipping level of this enforced hunger, and in line with medical sources we spoke to earlier as we speak, they confirmed that at this level we’re going to see mass scale hunger mortality,” he stated.
As hunger spreads, Israel has pressed on with its every day bombardment of Gaza.
Not less than six individuals have been killed in an Israeli drone assault on a tent camp in al-Mawasi close to Khan Younis on Saturday. The world designated as a protected zone by Israel has come beneath fixed lethal assault by its forces.
In the meantime, the Civil Defence company in Gaza says none of its automobiles will be capable of supply lifesaving providers quickly as a result of disrepair and lack of gasoline, calling on the worldwide group to behave.
“We stress the necessity for an pressing intervention to stress the Israeli occupation authorities to permit gasoline and restore components for automobiles to enter,” the Civil Defence stated in a press release.
Whereas some Western international locations have made strongly-worded statements towards Israel’s insurance policies in Gaza, advocates have been calling for real consequences to make sure accountability and deter additional Israeli abuses. Punitive sanctions towards Israel have been raised as prospects.
Handala ship intercepted
Shortly after making its airdrops announcement, the Israeli army raided a ship of worldwide activists carrying child system, meals and medical provides to Gaza.
A livestream confirmed Israeli troopers boarding and intercepting the Handala vessel with 19 activists onboard. The Freedom Flotilla Coalition, which organised the help ship, stated the vessel was violently seized in worldwide waters.
“The unarmed boat was carrying life-saving provides when it was boarded by Israeli forces, its passengers kidnapped, and its cargo seized,” the coalition stated in a press release. “The interception occurred in worldwide waters outdoors Palestinian territorial waters off Gaza, in violation of worldwide maritime regulation.”
#handala has been intercepted by the israeli occupation forces pic.twitter.com/0Mw1gZUNyi
— Freedom Flotilla Coalition (@GazaFFlotilla) July 26, 2025
It’s not clear what’s going to occur to the advocates. Final month, Israel intercepted the Madleen help ship and towed it to an Israeli boat earlier than detaining the activists, after which interrogating and deporting them.
Ann Wright, a member of the Freedom Flotilla Steering Committee, known as for the safety of the worldwide activists by their dwelling international locations.
“Shield harmless worldwide people who find themselves merely accompanying a small quantity of help – medical and meals – as an emblem of the worldwide outrage at what Israel is doing,” Wright informed Al Jazeera.
The Gaza Authorities Media Workplace known as the interception of Handala a crime of piracy.
“This blatant aggression represents a significant violation of worldwide regulation and the foundations of maritime navigation, and it exhibits as soon as extra that the [Israeli] occupation acts like a bully outdoors the authority of the regulation,” the workplace stated in a press release.