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Gaza, July 27, 2025: Facing mounting international condemnation over starvation in Gaza, Israel has introduced a series of humanitarian measures, including airdrops and a daily 10-hour “tactical pause” in military operations, to facilitate aid delivery. The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) announced these steps to “improve the humanitarian response” and counter claims of deliberate starvation, which it attributes to Hamas. However, the measures have been met with skepticism, with Hamas denouncing them as a “deception” to whitewash Israel’s image
The IDF conducted its first airdrop overnight, delivering seven pallets of flour, sugar, and canned food, followed by another from the United Arab Emirates (UAE) on Sunday. Jordan has also initiated airdrops and dispatched 60 trucks with food supplies, while Egypt is sending over 100 trucks carrying 1,200 tons of aid via the Kerem Shalom crossing. Despite these efforts, an Israeli airstrike during the “tactical pause” killed a mother, Wafaa Harara, and her four children—Sara, Areej, Judy, and Iyad—in Gaza City, casting doubt on the effectiveness of the pause.[
The IDF’s measures include “humanitarian corridors” in Al-Mawasi, Deir al-Balah, and parts of Gaza City from 6 a.m. to 11 p.m. daily to enable safe passage for UN convoys. Israel also reconnected power to a desalination plant, expected to provide water for 900,000 residents. However, the UN and aid agencies argue these steps fall short. Jonathan Whittall, head of the UN’s Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) in the Occupied Palestinian Territories, stated that the situation in Gaza “has never been worse” and called for faster border crossings, safer convoy routes, and assurances that civilians collecting aid won’t be targeted. UNRWA’s Philippe Lazzarini labeled airdrops “expensive, inefficient, and dangerous,” noting that 6,000 trucks of aid are waiting in Jordan and Egypt
Aid organizations, including Oxfam and Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF), have criticized airdrops as inadequate, with Oxfam calling them a “tactical gesture” that fails to address Gaza’s needs. MSF reported that 25% of young children and pregnant women are malnourished, with six additional malnutrition deaths in the past 24 hours, bringing the total to 133, including 87 children, since October 2023. The UN’s World Food Programme estimates that 62,000 metric tons of food—equivalent to 120 trucks daily—are needed monthly, far exceeding the 85 trucks entering daily last week
The crisis, described as “man-made mass starvation” by WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, has intensified after Israel’s blockade in March and restrictive aid policies since May. Nearly one in three Gazans are not eating for days, and 11 people were killed recently while attempting to access aid. With 59,821 deaths and 144,851 injuries reported by Gaza’s Health Ministry, the international community, including the UK’s Keir Starmer, is pushing for a ceasefire and unrestricted land-based aid to avert further catastrophe.
Airdrops, while visually impactful, are seen as a last resort due to their inefficiency and risks, such as pallets landing in inaccessible areas or causing injuries. Past airdrops have led to deaths when pallets landed on tents or in minefields. Experts emphasize that only a ceasefire and sustained land deliveries can address Gaza’s humanitarian crisis, where 2.2 million people are packed into a shrinking area, facing starvation, dehydration, and ongoing violence
