Israel announced on Tuesday it will allow the gradual and controlled entry of goods into Gaza through local merchants, expanding the flow of humanitarian aid as the enclave faces worsening famine conditions.
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The Israeli military agency COGAT said the decision, approved by Israel’s cabinet, will permit private sector imports of food staples, baby formula, fruits, vegetables, and hygiene items. Officials said the goal is to increase aid volume and reduce dependence on the U.N. and other international organisations for aid distribution.
However, it remains unclear how effective the initiative will be, given Gaza’s widespread destruction. Aid groups and Palestinian officials warn that Gaza needs at least 600 trucks of aid daily the level allowed before the war to meet basic humanitarian needs.
Recent images of starving children and a video showing an emaciated hostage have heightened international alarm, pressuring Israel to take steps to increase aid access into Gaza.
The move comes amid mounting global criticism after reports of over 1,000 Palestinians killed while seeking food since May, many near distribution sites linked to the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF). While Israel and the U.S. have pushed the U.N. to use GHF, the U.N. has refused, citing neutrality concerns and fears the model could militarise aid and contribute to forced displacement.
Hamas has indicated willingness to coordinate with the Red Cross to deliver aid to the hostages it holds if Israel permanently opens humanitarian corridors and halts airstrikes during aid distribution.
The war began when Hamas killed 1,200 people and abducted 251 during its October 7, 2023 attack on Israel. Israeli officials say more than 60,000 Palestinians have since been killed, while only 50 hostages remain in Gaza, with just 20 believed alive.
Hamas has barred humanitarian access to hostages, leaving their families with little information on their conditions as the crisis deepens.
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