Pause in fighting in Gaza, Rubio's disappointment: US must change its strategy

The Israeli military announced a daily halt to its operations in parts of Gaza and the creation of new aid corridors, following months of international pressure over a worsening hunger crisis spreading across the Palestinian enclave. The military said it would halt operations in Al-Mawasi, Deir al-Balah and Gaza City from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. until further notice, areas where it had not resumed ground operations since March, when it resumed its offensive in Gaza. Safe routes designated for convoys delivering food and medicine will also be in place permanently from 6 a.m. to 11 p.m., the military said. Egyptian media reported on Sunday that aid had begun moving into Gaza from Egypt.

On Thursday, the UN said humanitarian pauses in Gaza would allow for the "scaling up of humanitarian aid" and said Israel had not provided sufficient alternative routes for its convoys, hindering access to aid, writes A2 CNN.

International alarm over the humanitarian crisis in Gaza has grown as Israel and the US appeared on Friday to abandon ceasefire negotiations with Hamas, saying it had become clear the militants did not want a deal. Aid organisations said last week there was mass starvation among Gaza's 2.2 million residents, with food running out after Israel cut off all supplies to the territory in March, before resuming it in May with new restrictions.

Meanwhile, American diplomacy is on red alert for the hunger situation in Gaza. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio has announced that the US, "Must seriously rethink its strategy in the Middle East." Sources for the American media, Axios, say that Secretary of State Marco Rubio was visibly frustrated, in front of a group of hostage families on Friday, after the latest round of talks on Gaza failed, writes A2 CNN.

Rubio made it clear at Friday's meeting that he still doesn't think the gradual approach is right and hinted that it may be time to explore a more comprehensive approach to ending the war and freeing all remaining hostages. (A2 Televizion)