Israeli military announces 'tactical pause' in fighting in parts of Gaza amid hunger crisis

Gazans react to pauses in fighting

Gazans have reacted to news of pauses in fighting in some areas of Gaza to allow for new aid corridors into the enclave with relief.

"People are happy that large amounts of food aid will come into Gaza," Tamer Al-Burai, a business owner, told Reuters.

"We hope today marks a first step in ending this war that burned everything up."

However, some said they were concerned about how aid will be delivered and whether it will reach people seafely.

"Aid should enter in a logical way. When aid is airdropped, it causes injuries and damage," displaced Gaza resident Suhaib Mohammed said.

Israel intercepts Gaza-bound aid ship sailed by activists

An aid ship headed for Gaza was intercepted by the Israeli military late last night.

According to the Freedom Flotilla Coalition - which last month tried to reach the territory with a crew including activist Greta Thunberg - Israel detained 21 people on board.

The coalition operating the vessel Handala said the Israeli military "violently intercepted" the ship in international waters, about 40 miles from Gaza, just before midnight.

"All cargo was non-military, civilian and intended for direct distribution to a population facing deliberate starvation and medical collapse under Israel's illegal blockade," the group said.

The Israeli military has not commented. The foreign ministry said the navy stopped the vessel and was bringing it to shore.

Regional human rights group Adalah said the raid violated international law, and demanded the release of the 21 activists.

"The flotilla never entered Israeli territorial waters, nor was it intended to do so; it was headed toward the territorial waters of the State of Palestine, as recognised under international law," Adalah said.

UN aid chief welcomes pause in Gaza

The UN's aid chief has just shared a few words on social media, reacting to Israel's announcement this morning.

A pause took effect this morning - lasting for 10 hours in three parts of Gaza - to allow more aid in.

Tom Fletcher said UN teams will step up efforts to feed Palestinians during the pause, which will repeat each day until further notice.

"In contact with our teams on the ground who will do all we can to reach as many starving people as we can in this window," he said.

Baby died of starvation weighing less than when she was born

Warning: some of the details and images in this post may be distressing

The latest child to starve to death in Gaza died weighing less than the day she was born.

Zainab abu Habib was just five months old as her mother, Esraa abu Habib, gave her one last kiss yesterday.

She was brought into the paediatric department at Nasser Hospital on Friday, already dead.

A worker at the morgue carefully removed her Mickey Mouse-printed shirt. His thumb was wider than her ankle and he could see the bones on her chest.

The girl weighed more than 3kg at birth, her mother said, but after what a doctor described as "severe, severe starvation", her weight was less than 2kg at the end.

Her father, Ahmed abu Habib, said she needed a special baby formula that "did not exist in Gaza", as he prepared for her funeral in the southern city of Khan Younis. 

The head of the paediatric department, Dr Ahmed al Farah, said the baby needed a special type of formula for allergies to cow's milk.

With none of the formula she needed,  Zainab developed chronic diarrhoea and vomiting, he said, and she wasn't able to swallow.

'Many will follow'

Like many of Gaza's Palestinians, the baby's displaced family lives in a tent. 

Esraa said she breastfed the girl for six weeks before trying to feed her formula.

"With my daughter's death, many will follow," she added.

"Their names are on a list that no one looks at. They are just names and numbers... our children, whom we carried for nine months and then gave birth to, have become just numbers." 

Israel's denial

Zainab is one of dozens of children reported by Gaza's health ministry to have died of malnutrition-related causes.

Israel, as we've been reporting, has paused the fighting in certain parts of Gaza to allow more aid in, following widespread criticism over its access to the territory - see our 8.02 post for more on that.

Its foreign ministry, however, denies any starvation.

It said last Saturday: "Israel rejects the false accusations of 'starvation' propaganda initiated by Hamas which manipulates pictures of children suffering from terminal diseases. It is shameful."

Palestinians gather to collect aid

These are some of the latest pictures from Gaza today, showing crowds gather for aid in the north.

Trucks have also lined up at the southern border in Egypt.

Recognising Palestine as a state is a 'matter of time', says UK minister

A UK minister has told Sky News the government is "unequivocal" in its commitment to recognise Palestine as a state.

James Murray, the exchequer secretary to the Treasury, said it's a "matter of time".

But that has to be part of a "pathway to peace", he said, as the prime minister comes under pressure to recognise Palestinian statehood.

Murray told Sunday Morning with Trevor Phillips: "We are fully committed to recognition of Palestine. That's unequivocal. The prime minister has made that absolutely clear.

"It's not a question of if, what we now need to focus on is how do we make Palestinian statehood a reality."

Aid moved towards Gaza ahead of pause

The pause in fighting began a little less than an hour ago, with humanitarian groups hoping aid can now be delivered at scale into Gaza.

Ahead of the pause - which will last 10 hours on each day it takes effect - Israel allowed foreign countries to run aid airdrops in the territory.

The military said today packages have been dropped already, including flour, sugar and canned food.

Reports have suggested some have been injured in Gaza after fighting broke out.

Meanwhile, dozens of trucks carrying aid moved towards southern Gaza from Egypt, according to state-affiliated al Qahera TV.

At least 16 killed in latest Gaza strikes, medics say

Authorities in Gaza reported at least 16 Palestinians have been killed in Israeli strikes since last night.

According to Nasser Hospital, one strike hit a tent sheltering a displaced family in the Asdaa area, killing at least nine people.

Among them was a father and his two children, as well as another father and son, the hospital said.

In Gaza City, the ambulance service said four people were killed in a strike on a flat late last night, with four others injured.

Another strike killed a couple and a woman in Deir al Balah early today, according to the al Aqsa Martyrs hospital

Israel has not yet commented on the strikes.

Bob Geldof accuses Israel of 'lying' about starvation in Gaza

Live aid organiser Bob Geldof has accused Israel of "lying" about starvation in Gaza.

Earlier this week, Israeli spokesman David Mencer told The News Hour with Mark Austin there is only a "famine of the truth" in Gaza, denying Israel is responsible for mass hunger.

Appearing on Sunday Morning with Trevor Phillips this morning, Geldof singled out those claims - watch in the clip below.

The starvation concerns and why Israel's access to Gaza has been criticised

Israel's move to briefly pause fighting follows growing criticism over the access - or lack thereof - of aid into Gaza.

Over the past week, a growing number of aid groups have warned starvation is spreading among the territory's 2.2 million people.

Food stocks have dwindled, they said, after Israel cut off supplies in March before resuming access in May with new restrictions.

How much aid has been getting in?

Since May, Israel has allowed in around 4,500 trucks for the UN and other aid groups to distribute.

The average of 69 trucks a day, however, is far below the 500 to 600 the UN says are needed. 

Israeli denials

Dozens of Palestinians have died of malnutrition in the past few weeks, according to the Hamas-run health ministry, including 85 children since the start of the war.

Israel insists there is no starvation in Gaza and says the aid halt was meant to pressure Hamas into giving up the remaining hostages.

David Mencer, spokesman for Israel, told Sky News this week there is no famine in Gaza - other than a "famine of truth" (see the clip below).

But Israel did give other countries permission to run aid airdrops over Gaza, a risky move that can cause injuries and even kill people.

For context: The Gaza Humanitarian Foundation is at the heart of the new aid system, which took distribution away from aid groups led by the UN.

Most humanitarian groups opposed the move, which limits distribution to a small number of hubs under guard of armed contractors.

Israel demanded an alternative plan because it accuses Hamas of siphoning off aid, but the UN and aid groups deny there is significant diversion.

Reports from the New York Times and Reuters news agency over the past 48 hours have suggested there isn't enough evidence Hamas has been systematically stealing aid.

Israel announces pause in fighting to allow aid into Gaza

As concern continues to grow worldwide over the suffering in Gaza, Israel has announced a "tactical pause" in fighting.

This only applies to three parts of the territory - Muwasi, Deir al Balah and Gaza City - and will be in effect daily from 10am to 8pm local time (8am to 6pm UK) until further notice.

The IDF said it would also establish secure routes to help the UN and aid agencies deliver food and other supplies.

These, the military said, will be in place permanently from 6am to 11pm.

As we've been reporting, Israel had already agreed to aid airdrops over Gaza - despite maintaining there is no starvation.

-SKY NEWS