Israel agrees to a five-hour pause in its strikes on Gaza

E-Paper | April 26, 2026

GAZA CITY: The Israeli military says it has agreed to a UN brokered five-hour pause in its strikes on the Gaza Strip to allow Palestinians to restock supplies.

The military said in a statement Wednesday that it would hold its fire for five hours starting at 10:00 am (0900 GMT, 5 a.m. EDT.)

It warns however that it will retaliate “firmly and decisively” if Hamas or other militant groups launch attacks on Israel during that time.

United Nations call for a unilateral humanitarian pause

The United Nations is calling for Israel to agree to “a unilateral humanitarian pause” so that aid can be delivered to people in need of food, water and other necessities in Gaza.

UN deputy spokesman Farhan Haq told the Associated Press earlier on Wednesday that Robert Serry, the UN special coordinator for the Middle East peace process, made the appeal after talks with Israel's Coordination Office for Government Affairs in the (Palestinian) Territories.

Obama pledges to restore ceasefire between Israel and Palestinians

If Israel agrees to a “humanitarian pause,” Haq said, Serry “would then urge the parties in Gaza to respect that pause. “

Haq said he was not aware of any time frame for the pause, adding that “the idea would be to allow for enough time as needed to get aid in. “

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Nabeel

Jul 17, 2014 02:00am

isn't it amazing that when it was in the interest of US they would take a stand and say we will fight and deploy their troops e.g. in Afghanistan, Iraq, when Russia took over Ukrain Obama went out and fought to take permission for a war against Russia because Russia was violating human rights... whats wrong with you now Mr. Obama has the cat caught your tongue? Why don't you launch a military action against Israeli??

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Bilal

Jul 17, 2014 02:25am

the only reason israels declared a ceasefire is because they got caught red handed by different media outlets from all over the world blatantly targeting children, so for all those who said the israelis are only targeting hamas fighters and warehouses this is a big SLAP on your face !!!

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Abbas kd

Jul 17, 2014 02:50am

After slaughtering over 200 innocent humans, they are now trying to pretend like a good guys, who are they fooling?

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Jamal

Jul 17, 2014 02:52am

Very well said Nabeel ! Israel is showing the brutal terrorism against humanity and muslims and all world powers are just doing nothing except lip service...Too bad and too shameful..

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Nero

Jul 17, 2014 03:04am

How easy it is for Israel to announce ceasefire after devouring 220 Palestinians. And that also for only 5 hours. This shows the appetite of this gini!

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Dystopia

Jul 17, 2014 03:44am

How merciful.

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Adel

Jul 17, 2014 04:14am

@Bilal Hamas is deliberately hiding its rocket launchers in hospitals and schools. As UN said "Israel is using its guns to protect its citizens, as opposed to Hamas, who is using its citizens to protect its guns"

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Israr Khan Ismailzai

Jul 17, 2014 04:27am

Wow, what a time this is for Islam and muslims. A jewish govt is killing our women and children ( with no rush, they even take breaks in between) and all the muslim leaders can do ( not all of them) is to condemn it or " demand " an end to it, Allah save us.

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Javed Rahman

Jul 17, 2014 04:39am

@Nabeel So true,I appreciate your comment.

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Ragu

Jul 17, 2014 04:52am

I can see my Pakistani brothers and sisters writing many things; but no one dares to ask and answer why Hamas rejected an Egyptian ceasefire and also why Hamas continues rocket attacks against Israel, hiding behind civilian population? Also it is worth remembering who started the killing of Children as well. Hamas set the ball rolling by killing three Israeli kids; and the brutality has continued since then; Is it always right to take side with those from one's own faith? Not only Israel, but it is also Hamas, that is contributing to death of so many young children. Why can Pakistan not intervene and bring about a peace?

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Ragu

Jul 17, 2014 04:55am

@Israr Khan Ismailzai -- Just try more violence against Israel and see the consequences. Is this all you can think of? More violence to bring Israel to its senses? Is Pakistan willing to shed its blood and attack Israel? Will it make violence increase or decrease?

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Bilal

Jul 17, 2014 04:59am

@Adel why would you say that is it because the 'israelis' say so, because there is no proof for that other than what the israelis are saying and secondly were these kids 'hamas' do to you !!!

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shahryar

Jul 17, 2014 05:03am

Why don't the Palestinians move to a safer place and come back once Hamas and Israelis have killed each other.

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nizam

Jul 17, 2014 05:04am

While IDP's in Pakistan can move to safer places why cant people in Palestine do that.

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numbersnumbers

Jul 17, 2014 05:14am

@Bilal And of course you can provide the names of those "media outlets" who have that "evidence" of Israelis deliberately targeting children! BTW, HAMAS is deliberately targeting Israeli children with EVERY unguided surface to surface military rocket they launch into Israeli cities! Oops, I forgot that Hamas has declared that EVERY ISRAELI is a legitimate target, so that must make it OK!

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israr Khan Ismailzai

Jul 17, 2014 05:29am

@Adel Oh really, why doesn't the UN say anything about the illegal occupation of the Palestinians?? Bringing jews from all over the world, making them the citizens of "isreal", than making the Palestinians lives miserable in their own country and bombing their women and children in the name of "right to defend our country", is just not right.

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Aftab Alam Khan

Jul 17, 2014 05:43am

A five hour break.................Just to feed and then shoot. United Nations should call for a permanent pause to stop killing of the Palestinians

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asgher

Jul 17, 2014 05:54am

US must send troops in Israel to fight the terrorism and save Palestinians.

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anony

Jul 17, 2014 06:33am

The biggest shame is on Israel for closing its borders with Palestine and refusing people and supplies to pass through. Its followed very closely by all the major world leaders, muslims or not, for being a mere witness to this massacre by Israel.

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Jul 17, 2014 07:00am

@Nabeel I think everybody work in their interest,

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Mujeeb Rehman

Jul 17, 2014 07:02am

Muslim brothers and sisters are getting killed and our Muslim leaders are doing nothing. Muslim leaders of all over the world are worthless. They have no backbone to stand united and fight against Israel..... shame on Muslim leaders.

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jay

Jul 17, 2014 08:16am

There were 89 people dead in Afghanistan today. None of you care about that? Is Palestine more important than the Afghans?

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malik

Jul 17, 2014 08:44am

Why don't the Palestinians move to safer places like IDP's in Pakistan and come back when Hamas and Israelis have killed each other.

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roshan

Jul 17, 2014 09:09am

Might is only Right.

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Kashif

Jul 17, 2014 09:50am

Everybody is talking about Israeli's aggression. Israeli is doing what it has been doing for decades, and it will keep on doing it. But, nobody is talking about the mute Muslim world esp. the Arabs who believe they are the only caretaker of Islam i.e. Non-Arabs are jerks. They are only interested in western stock market.

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Taj M.

Jul 17, 2014 10:10am

@nizam you must be very naive and clueless if you are comparing Palestinian with IDPs.

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A shah

Jul 17, 2014 12:21pm

Why does no one speak about the hundreds of people being killed in Afghanistan and Iraq and Nigeria this week? Because they were killed by Muslims so it's ok?

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kariz

Jul 17, 2014 01:42pm

@Taj M. Looks like you don't live in Pakistan and know nothing about the hardships faced by our IDP's, death is same if it is Pakistani or Palestinian even our IDP's will get killed if they don't move out of the battle zone so same should be done by people in Palestine.

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razul

Jul 17, 2014 01:49pm

@Taj M. How can you say our IDP's are OK but Palestinians or not , are you an IDP do you know how many problems they face , even if they don't face more danger than Palestinians i don't believe it is any less.

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khanm

Jul 17, 2014 03:16pm

@A shah blood is blood it does not have any religion... whether it is yous or mine....

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