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**International Pressure Mounts as Israel Announces Limited Food Aid for Gaza Amid Intensified Offensive**

Gaza City – Under mounting international pressure over a looming humanitarian crisis, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced Monday that Israel would allow a “basic amount of food” into the Gaza Strip. The announcement comes as the Israeli military intensifies its ground offensive in the battered enclave, reportedly killing over 150 Palestinians in the last 24 hours.

Netanyahu attributed the decision to concerns voiced by Israel’s allies about the “images of hunger” emerging from Gaza, which has been under a two-month-long siege. He acknowledged that these images threatened international support for Israel’s military operation.

However, the details and timing of the aid delivery remain unclear. Munir al-Bursh, Director-General of Gaza’s Ministry of Health, told Al Jazeera Arabic that Palestinian authorities have not been informed when the border will open. A spokesperson for the UN aid chief confirmed discussions with Israel regarding the logistics of limited aid delivery, citing the challenging conditions on the ground.

The announcement has also triggered internal dissent within Israel’s government. Far-right ministers, including National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir, have criticized the decision, arguing that allowing food into Gaza undermines the goal of defeating Hamas through military pressure and hunger.

Despite the partial easing of the blockade, sources indicate that indirect talks between Israel and Hamas in Qatar have not yielded progress. Netanyahu stated that discussions included a truce and a deal on captives, as well as a proposal to end the war in return for the exile of Hamas and the demilitarization of the enclave – terms Hamas has previously rejected.

Netanyahu reiterated that the intensified offensive aims to take “control of all” of Gaza and stressed that the aim of the intensified offensive is for Israel’s forces to “take control of all” of Gaza.

The ongoing conflict has resulted in a dire humanitarian situation in Gaza. Over the past week, Israeli strikes have reportedly killed at least 464 Palestinians, many of them women and children. On Monday, reports indicate that at least 23 Palestinians have been killed across Gaza, with reports of attacks near hospitals and civilian infrastructure.

Israel has faced accusations of weaponizing hunger as a tool in its military campaign, while critics fear the blockade and offensive could lead to ethnic cleansing.

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