Israel announces daily pauses of military operations to allow aid corridors for starving Gazans amid global outcry to end war

Sky News AU

7 days ago

Israel has announced daily pauses of its military operations to allow aid for starving Gazans as world leaders demand an end to the war, despite dozens of hostages remaining at the mercy of Hamas terrorists.
On Sunday, Israel said it would halt operations for 10 hours a day to allow new air corridors into Gaza where images of hungry Palestinians led to global outcry.
Military activity will stop from 10am to 8pm until further notice in Al-Mawasi, Deir al-Balah and Gaza City.
Israel's Defence Force also announced designated secure routes for convoys delivering food and medicine will also be in place between 6am and 11pm starting from Sunday.
A total of 127 people have died due to malnutrition, including 85 children, since the start of the war, the Gaza Health Ministry said.
The Egyptian Red Crescent said it was sending more than 100 trucks carrying over 1,200 metric tons of food aid to southern Gaza through the Kerem Shalom crossing on Sunday.
Hours earlier, Israel began aid airdrops in what it said was an effort to improve the humanitarian conditions in the enclave.
Aid groups have been warning Gaza's 2.2 million people faced mass hunger and international alarm over the humanitarian situation in Gaza has increased, driving French President Emmanuel Macron's decision to recognise a Palestinian state from September.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese confirmed he would not back France's move, but accused Israel of breaching international law after withholding aid from civilians in Gaza.
Mr Albanese suggested there needed to be 'structure' for a Palestinian state before Australia could recognise one.
'What we will do is we'll make a decision based upon the time. Is the time right now? Are we about to imminently do that? No, we are not,' he told the ABC on Sunday.
The Prime Minister reinforced Australia supports a two-state solution, while asking the question 'how do you exclude Hamas from any involvement there?'
'How do you ensure that a Palestinian state operates in an appropriate way which does not threaten the existence of Israel? So we won't do any decision as a gesture. We will do it as a way forward if the circumstances are met,' he said.
Mr Albanese also appeared open for Australia to make decisions on the statehood of Palestine without advice from the United States.
'Australia will always make our decisions as a sovereign state,' he said.
Israel and the US appeared on Friday to abandon ceasefire negotiations with Hamas, saying it had become clear that the militants did not want a deal.
With Reuters