Israel begins daily pause in fighting in 3 Gaza areas to allow 'minimal' aid as hunger grows

DEIR AL-BALAH, Gaza Strip (AP) — The Israeli military Sunday began limited pauses in fighting in three populated areas of Gaza for 10 hours a day, part of measures including airdrops as concerns grow over surging hunger and as Israel faces criticism over its conduct in the 21-month war.

The military said the “tactical pause” from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. in Gaza City, Deir al-Balah and Muwasi, all with large populations, would increase humanitarian aid entering the territory.

United Nations humanitarian chief Tom Fletcher welcomed Israel's decision to support a “one-week scale-up of aid" and said “some movement restrictions appear to have been eased." But he said action needs to be sustained, vast and fast.

“Whichever path we choose, we will have to continue to allow the entry of minimal humanitarian supplies," Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said.

Images of emaciated children have fanned criticism of Israel, including by allies who call for the war's end. Israel has restricted aid to Gaza's population of over 2 million because it says Hamas siphons it off to bolster its rule, without providing evidence. Much of the population, squeezed into ever-smaller patches of land, now relies on aid.

As the military had warned, combat operations continued otherwise. Health officials in Gaza said Israeli strikes killed at least 41 Palestinians from late Saturday into Sunday, including 26 seeking aid.

“I came to get flour for my children because they have not tasted flour for more than a week, and thank God, God provided me with a kilo of rice with difficulty,” said Sabreen Hassona, as other Palestinians trudged along a dusty road carrying sacks of food from the Zikim crossing.

But aid came slowly for others, if at all. “We saw the planes, but we didn't see what they dropped,” Samira Yahya said in Zawaida in central Gaza. “They said trucks would pass, but we didn't see the trucks.”

Some people feared going out and having a box of aid fall on their children, Ahmed al-Sumairi said.

Israel's military said 28 aid packages containing food were airdropped, and said it would put in place secure routes for aid delivery. It said the steps were made in coordination with the U.N. and other humanitarian groups.

The U.N. World Food Program said it had enough food in, or on its way, to feed all of Gaza for nearly three months. It has said nearly half a million people were enduring famine-like conditions.

Antoine Renard, WFP’s country director for the occupied Palestinian territories, said around 80 WFP trucks entered Gaza, while another over 130 trucks arrived via Jordan, Ashdod and Egypt. He said other aid was moving through the Kerem Shalom and Zikim crossings.

He stressed it was not enough to counter the “current starvation.”

Gaza saw 63 malnutrition-related deaths in July, including 24 children underage 5, the World Health Organization said.

Dr. Muneer al-Boursh, Gaza Health Ministry's director-general, called for a flood of medical supplies to treat child malnutrition.

“This (humanitarian) truce will mean nothing if it doesn’t turn into a real opportunity to save lives,” he said. “Every delay is measured by another funeral.”

Ceasefire efforts appeared to be in doubt. Israel and the U.S. recalled negotiating teams from Qatar on Thursday, blaming Hamas, and Israel said it was considering “alternative options” to talks.

Israel says it is prepared to end the war if Hamas surrenders, disarms and goes into exile, something the group has refused. Khalil al-Hayya, head of Hamas’ negotiating delegation, said the group had displayed “maximum flexibility.”

Senior Hamas official Mahmoud Merdawi said Israel's change of approach on the humanitarian crisis amounted to an acknowledgment of Palestinians starving in Gaza, and asserted that it was meant to improve Israel's international standing and not save lives.

After ending the latest ceasefire in March, Israel cut off the entry of food, medicine, fuel and other supplies to Gaza for 2 ½ months, saying it aimed to pressure Hamas to release hostages. Fifty of them remain in Gaza, over half of them believed to be dead.

Under international pressure, Israel slightly eased the blockade in May. Since then, the average of 69 trucks a day has been far below the 500 to 600 trucks the U.N. says are needed. The U.N. says it has been unable to distribute much aid because hungry crowds and gangs take most of it from trucks.

In an attempt to divert aid delivery from U.N. control, Israel has backed the U.S.-registered Gaza Humanitarian Foundation, which in May opened four distribution centers. More than 1,000 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli forces since May while trying to get food, mostly near those sites, the U.N. human rights office says.

Israel asserts the U.N. system allows Hamas to steal aid. The U.N. denies it.

“Gaza is not a remote island. The infrastructure and resources exist to prevent starvation; we just need safe, sustained access,” Mercy Corps’ vice president of global policy and advocacy, Kate Phillips-Barrasso, said in a statement.

Awda Hospital in Nuseirat said Israeli forces killed at least 13 people, including four children and a woman, and wounded 101 as they headed toward a GHF aid distribution site in central Gaza.

Israel’s military said it fired warning shots to prevent a “gathering of suspects” from approaching, hundreds of meters from the site before opening hours. GHF said there were no incidents at or near its sites.

Thirteen others were killed seeking aid elsewhere, including northwestern Gaza City, where over 50 people were wounded, and near the Zikim crossing where over 90 were wounded, hospital officials and medics said.

Israel's military said two soldiers were killed in Gaza, bringing the total to 898 since the Oct. 7, 2023, Hamas attack that sparked the war. Hamas killed 1,200 people, mostly civilians, in that attack, and took 251 hostages.

Israel's retaliatory offensive has killed more than 59,700 Palestinians, according to Gaza’s Health Ministry. Its count doesn’t distinguish between militants and civilians, but the ministry says over half of the dead are women and children. The ministry operates under the Hamas government. The U.N. and other international organizations see it as the most reliable source of data on casualties.

U.S. President Donald Trump on Sunday called the images of emaciated and malnourished children in Gaza “terrible."

Goldenberg reported from Tel Aviv, Israel, and Magdy from Cairo. Associated Press writer Seung Min Kim in Cincinnati, Ohio, contributed.

Follow AP’s war coverage at https://apnews.com/hub/israel-hamas-war

Relatives of Druze Israeli captain Amir Saad, who was killed in a battle in the Gaza Strip, mourn during his funeral in the village of Yanuh Jat, northern Israel, Sunday, July 27, 2025. (AP Photo/Ariel Schalit)

Palestinians carry sacks of flour unloaded from a humanitarian aid convoy that reached Gaza City from the northern Gaza Strip, Sunday, July 27, 2025. (AP Photo/Abdel Kareem Hana)

Israeli soldiers carry the coffin of Druze Israeli captain Amir Saad who was killed in a battle in the Gaza Strip, during his funeral in the village of Yanuh Jat, northern Israel, Sunday, July 27, 2025. (AP Photo/Ariel Schalit)

Trucks carrying humanitarian aids enter the Rafah crossing between Egypt and the Gaza Strip, Sunday, July 27, 2025. (AP Photo/Mohamed Arafat)

Palestinians carry sacks of flour unloaded from a humanitarian aid convoy that reached Gaza City from the northern Gaza Strip, Sunday, July 27, 2025. (AP Photo/Jehad Alshrafi)

Humanitarian aid is airdropped to Palestinians over Gaza City, Gaza Strip, Sunday, July 27, 2025. (AP Photo/Jehad Alshrafi)

Humanitarian aid is airdropped to Palestinians over northern Gaza Strip, Sunday, July 27, 2025. (AP Photo/Abdel Kareem Hana)

Humanitarian aid is airdropped to Palestinians over Gaza City, as seen from southern Israel, Sunday, July 27, 2025. (AP Photo/Ohad Zwigenberg)

Trucks carrying humanitarian aids enter the Rafah crossing between Egypt and the Gaza Strip, Sunday, July 27, 2025. (AP Photo/Mohamed Arafat)

Smoke rises from an explosion in the northern Gaza Strip, as seen from southern Israel Sunday, July 27, 2025. (AP Photo/Ohad Zwigenberg)

Palestinians carry sacks of flour unloaded from a humanitarian aid convoy that reached Gaza City from the northern Gaza Strip, Saturday, July 26, 2025. (AP Photo/Jehad Alshrafi)

Palestinians struggle to get donated food at a community kitchen, in Gaza City, northern Gaza Strip, Saturday, July 26, 2025. (AP Photo/Abdel Kareem Hana)

Palestinians carry sacks of flour unloaded from a humanitarian aid convoy that reached Gaza City from the northern Gaza Strip, Saturday, July 26, 2025. (AP Photo/Jehad Alshrafi)

KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Jan 18, 2026--

Running shoes brand Xtep has announced that it will form a joint venture with Bonia, a distributor with over 50 years of market expertise in Malaysia, to jointly develop the Malaysian market. Analysts indicate that this move will accelerate Xtep’s drive to become the leading running brand in Southeast Asia. Notably, this new strategic direction also involves an adjustment to Xtep’s previous business cooperation model in Malaysia. In line with Xtep Group’s overall strategic shift, the company’s business model in Malaysia will be upgraded from a single exclusive distribution arrangement to a multi-channel setup. The former exclusive distributor, VGO, will transition to a “non-exclusive distributor” and remain a key partner for Xtep in deepening its local market presence. Before Xtep’s partnership with Bonia, VGO served as Xtep’s exclusive partner in Malaysia. As the initial partner facilitating Xtep’s entry into the Malaysian market, VGO laid a solid foundation for the brand’s successful entry. Xtep will continue its collaboration with VGO to advance the Xtep brand’s development through channels where VGO holds particular strength. Meanwhile, Bonia will focus on maximizing Xtep’s brand visibility in Malaysia’s core commercial districts and running brand hubs.

This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260114707896/en/

Chinese media reports highlight Malaysia as Xtep’s springboard for expansion into Southeast Asia, emphasizing that this business model transformation is crucial for implementing the “Chinese Root, World-Class Running Shoes” strategy proposed in 2022. Bonia’s sales network spans Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia, Thailand, and other Southeast Asian markets. The company maintains strong, stable relationships with major shopping centers in these countries, possesses deep insights into local consumer needs, and has solid cross-border retail operation capabilities.

The first store under Xtep’s partnership with Bonia opened in Mid Valley Megamall, Kuala Lumpur. According to Xtep, this 3,262-square-foot professional running flagship store displays performance running products by function and features services such as a trial running zone and foot shape and gait analysis, allowing runners to experience world-class running technology. This store also showcases stories of local runners and photos from local running events to enhance runners’ sense of belonging.

Running culture in Malaysia is maturing. Data from the World Bank and Euromonitor International shows that Malaysia has the largest sportswear and footwear market in Southeast Asia. The Malaysian Sports Culture Index 2023 survey revealed that 63% of respondents cited jogging as their favorite sport. In terms of road racing popularity, the 2024 Kuala Lumpur Standard Chartered Marathon attracted over 40,000 participants.

Xtep entered the Malaysian market in 2024 and has consistently employed an operational strategy of “Professional-to-mass influence” coupled with a cultural strategy of “adapting to local conditions”. The brand has connected with local consumers through events and running communities. During its partnership with VGO, Xtep organized several large-scale running events in Malaysia, including the “10KM Time Challenge” held in Penang in August 2024, which attracted top athletes from Indonesia, Singapore, Uganda and Kenya. With Malaysia emerging as a strategic hub for international growth, Xtep envisions the country as both a blueprint for overseas expansion and a dynamic showcase of its running heritage.

Comprehensive Channel Upgrade! Xtep Leverages Southeast Asian Foothold to Advance Global Running Footwear Strategy