Israel Launches Offensive on Gaza City, Suspends Humanitarian Pauses

GAZA/JERUSALEM, Aug 30: Israel announced Friday that it has begun the initial stages of a planned offensive on Gaza City, intensifying military operations on the city’s outskirts while suspending humanitarian pauses that previously allowed aid deliveries.

The Israeli military called Gaza City a “dangerous combat zone” and said it would no longer observe daytime pauses that had permitted food and medical supplies to flow into the area. The suspensions affect Gaza City, Deir al-Balah, and Muwasi, where hundreds of thousands of displaced Palestinians have been sheltering.

The decision comes as Israel mobilizes tens of thousands of troops for a broader ground offensive, saying Hamas still operates from a network of tunnels beneath Gaza City. The territory is also home to vital infrastructure and health facilities, now at risk under escalating bombardment.

The Gaza Health Ministry reported that the death toll from the 22-month war has risen to 63,025, with at least 322 deaths caused by starvation and malnutrition, including 121 children. Aid agencies warned the new offensive would worsen famine conditions.

Meanwhile, Israel confirmed it had recovered the body of hostage Ilan Weiss, kidnapped and killed during Hamas’s Oct. 7, 2023, attack. Personal items belonging to another hostage were also retrieved. Of the 251 hostages taken nearly two years ago, about 50 remain in Gaza, with Israel believing 20 are still alive.

The announcement drew grief from families of other hostages still unaccounted for. “It’s a bittersweet moment,” said Rubi Chen, whose son was taken during the Oct. 7 assault. “At least one family has closure, but 49 families are still waiting.”

Aid groups and shelters vowed to stay despite the danger. The Norwegian Refugee Council said intensified operations would make humanitarian access “nearly impossible.” UN-backed monitors recently declared Gaza City in famine, citing Israel’s blockade, the collapse of food production, and the displacement of hundreds of thousands.

Palestinians said the so-called pauses had already offered little respite. “The massacres never stopped, even during the humanitarian pauses,” said Gaza City resident Mohamed Aboul Hadi.

Israeli military spokesperson Avichay Adraee urged civilians to flee south, warning that strikes would intensify until Hamas was dismantled and all hostages recovered.