Israel Opens Gaza Aid Corridors as Humanitarian Airdrops Begin

Under Global Pressure, Israel Opens Aid Corridors to Gaza as Hunger Crisis Deepens

GAZA CITY (ShugalNews) — After weeks of growing global outcry and worsening conditions on the ground, Israel has agreed to open humanitarian corridors into Gaza and allow UN aid convoys to deliver critical supplies to the region’s starving population.

The announcement came Saturday from the Israel Defense Forces (IDF), which confirmed it had not only reopened access for humanitarian airdrops but was also ready to implement “humanitarian pauses” in densely populated areas of Gaza. The move comes amid mounting warnings of mass starvation in the region.

The IDF said the first new airdrop included seven pallets of flour, sugar, and canned food provided by international aid organizations. The supplies were dropped into northern Gaza, where the humanitarian crisis is especially severe.

This shift in policy follows weeks of criticism from the United Nations, humanitarian groups, and even Israel’s own allies, who have accused the country of blocking vital food and medical aid from reaching the nearly two million people living in Gaza — many of whom are now facing severe hunger and malnutrition.

The World Health Organization (WHO) has warned of a “man-made mass starvation” in the territory, and on Saturday, the Gaza health ministry, which is run by Hamas, reported 125 deaths due to malnutrition over the past few days, 85 of them children.

🚨 International Pressure Mounts

Israel’s announcement comes after a sharp increase in international attention on the humanitarian situation. For months, aid agencies have struggled to deliver enough food, water, and medical supplies, citing severe restrictions imposed by Israel after it cut off all supplies to Gaza in March.

Although limited aid resumed in May, it came with tight controls, and distribution has remained dangerously slow. In the meantime, Palestinian civilians have been killed while trying to access aid, with eyewitnesses telling the BBC that many were shot by Israeli forces near aid drop sites.

In response to growing criticism, the IDF insisted on Saturday that “the false claim of deliberate starvation in the Gaza Strip” was unfounded. However, it acknowledged the urgency of the crisis, adding:

“The IDF has begun a series of actions aimed at improving the humanitarian response in the Gaza Strip.”

💧 Water and Aid Infrastructure

In a key move, Israel also said it had resumed electricity supply to a major desalination plant in Gaza, which it claims will provide drinking water for around 900,000 people — nearly half of the territory’s population.

Additionally, Israel and the United States have backed the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF), a group now operating on the ground to help coordinate deliveries. But the situation remains tense, with security fears high and aid convoys still limited in scale.

⚠️ Aid Groups Face Difficulties

Despite the newly announced corridors, UN officials and NGOs continue to express concern about whether aid will actually reach civilians in need — or be caught up in conflict zones.
The IDF has placed responsibility for distributing food and supplies on the UN and aid agencies, urging them to ensure the aid “does not reach Hamas.”

Critics say that military checkpoints, airstrikes, and limited access routes continue to block deliveries and put aid workers in danger.

🇺🇳 What’s Next?

Global humanitarian leaders are calling for unrestricted access and independent monitoring of aid deliveries to ensure relief actually reaches the people of Gaza. UN Secretary-General António Guterres is expected to issue a new statement in the coming days calling for full-scale humanitarian access.

As the death toll from hunger rises, pressure is building on Israel to do more — and fast.