The United Nations has announced plans to use temporary “humanitarian pauses” to deliver emergency food and supplies to starving people in Gaza. This move follows Israel’s decision to allow secure land routes for aid convoys, aiming to ease the worsening humanitarian crisis. The World Food Programme (WFP) confirmed that enough food is either in Gaza or en route to feed the entire population for nearly three months.
UN emergency relief coordinator Tom Fletcher welcomed the move and said teams on the ground are preparing to reach as many people as possible during the limited window. The WFP emphasized that the humanitarian corridors must be safe and fully respected, noting that food aid is the only way many in Gaza can eat. It warned that a third of the population hasn’t eaten properly for days, with 470,000 people facing famine-like conditions.
In response to the crisis, Israel also pledged to speed up the entry of aid trucks and provide assurances of no military action near convoys. The WFP said this could lead to a surge in much-needed supplies, including over 62,000 tonnes of food assistance required monthly. The agency stressed the importance of delivering aid without further delays to prevent more deaths caused by hunger and malnutrition.
UN human rights chief Volker Turk reminded Israel of its legal obligation, as the occupying power, to ensure food reaches civilians. He described the current situation as a “dystopian landscape” of destruction, where children are starving and dying in plain sight. He also criticized the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF), a US- and Israel-backed group, for running chaotic and militarized food distributions that have reportedly led to over 1,000 deaths.
UNHCR chief Filippo Grandi joined the calls for immediate action, saying starvation in Gaza must end now. He expressed full support for UN and NGO staff working to deliver lifesaving aid to those most at risk. Meanwhile, the UN’s humanitarian office (OCHA) said conditions in Gaza remain catastrophic and are worsening daily, urging full access for aid teams.
OCHA added that if Israel allows fuel, equipment, and humanitarian workers into Gaza safely, the UN is ready to scale up deliveries. These include food, water, healthcare, sanitation, and shelter materials for the millions affected. The agency stressed that immediate access is vital to stop the deepening starvation crisis and prevent further loss of life.