The Israeli military has declared a temporary halt to daytime operations near a southern Gaza border crossing, effective "until further notice," to facilitate the entry of additional humanitarian aid into the region. Aid organizations have been raising alarms about severe shortages of food and essential supplies.
This announcement coincided with the Muslim holiday Eid al-Adha and comes amid intense negotiations, involving the U.S., Qatar, and Egypt, aimed at securing a cease-fire. A major point of contention in these talks is whether any halt in hostilities would be permanent.
The Israeli military emphasized that this pause is limited and that their offensive in Rafah will persist, indicating there will be "no cessation of fighting" in the broader southern Gaza area.
There are reports that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu learned of the pause through news outlets and expressed disapproval. However, analysts believe Netanyahu was likely informed in advance and that the public messaging was crafted to address different audiences.
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