Israel Announces Daily Tactical Pause in Southern Gaza to Allow Aid Deliveries

The Israeli military has announced a daily "tactical pause" of military activity along a 12-kilometer route in the Rafah area of southern Gaza, allowing aid trucks to reach the Israel-controlled Kerem Shalom crossing. The pause will take place from 8am to 7pm local time and is aimed at addressing the dire humanitarian crisis in the besieged Palestinian territory. This announcement comes after months of warnings of famine and a day after eight Israeli soldiers were killed in a blast near Rafah. The pause has been met with mixed reactions, with some far-right government ministers criticizing the move as a sign of weakness, while others see it as a necessary step to address the humanitarian crisis. The United Nations and aid groups have repeatedly sounded the alarm about dire shortages of food and other essential supplies in Gaza.