Israel to begin second 10-hour pause in military activitypublished at 06:57 British Summer Time
06:57 BST
Yolande Knell
Middle East correspondent, in Jerusalem
Image source, EPA
Israel’s army is expected to begin another 10-hour pause in military activity in parts of Gaza this morning, starting from 10:00 local time (07:00 GMT), to allow more desperately needed aid into the territory.
Israel announced its change in policy yesterday – and said it was setting up new secure routes for convoys – amid a global outcry over what the UN has called man-made, mass starvation.
Images of emaciated children and crowds scrambling for meagre food handouts in Gaza have caused international alarm.
The UN’s aid chief, Tom Fletcher, said that some movement restrictions appeared to have eased since Israel agreed to allow a one-week expansion of humanitarian supplies.
But, he said, action now needed to be sustained, vast and fast – calling for Israel to speed up its approvals for lorries to pick up goods from Gaza crossings.
Yesterday, Jordan and the United Arab Emirates carried out their first air drops in the territory in months – but one official said it was not a substitute for delivery by land.
Israel’s Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu has continued to lash out at the UN saying it now has “no excuses left” to not deliver aid.
He hit back at claims of deliberately starving civilians in Gaza – which would amount to a war crime – saying this was an “egregious falsehood”.
The UN’s Tom Fletcher is due to speak to BBC Radio 4’s Today programme at 08:10 BST – you will be able to listen and follow live in this page