For the first time since the outbreak of war, Israel released supplies from the air over the Gaza Strip during the night towards Sunday. Later, the military announced that they are introducing "local tactical pauses" for battles in densely populated areas for humanitarian reasons, as well as to secure roads to allow aid convoys from the UN and other aid organizations to enter Gaza.
The measures mean that larger aid shipments may reach Gaza for the first time since the ceasefire was broken in the spring, which suggests that Israel realizes that it is an acute humanitarian situation, says Anders Persson, political scientist at Linnaeus University.
Chips in a game
For me, this shows that Israel does not want to starve large parts of the Gaza population to death. They use absolute humanitarian supplies and even starvation in some part as chips in a game, but when the levels become really critical and there are many reports of starvation or that supplies are finished, then they change their tactics. We saw that in the spring as well.
Persson believes that it is the situation on the ground and not extensive diplomatic pressure that has made Israel act.
I do not think I have seen any great diplomatic pressure. Donald Trump has not spoken particularly much about this. The EU has indeed said that all possibilities are on the table, but I cannot see that the pressure has been particularly large, at least not publicly.
How much impact the aid will have on the population in Gaza is difficult to say as some details about volumes are not yet known.
As a rule of thumb, before the war, about 500 trucks entered Gaza with supplies and other things every day. When Israel released the aid a little again after the last wave of reports of starvation in the spring, about 70-80 trucks were released every day, says Anders Persson.
6,000 trucks
Philippe Lazzarini, head of the UN's aid organization for Palestinian refugees Unrwa, said this week that 6,000 trucks with supplies are waiting to enter Gaza.
Anders Persson does not believe that the measures from Israel will last in the long term.
I would think that it's about stabilizing the situation in Gaza, but that it will be a temporary measure.
