The Israeli Prime Minister’s Office said that Israel will allow “basic quantities” of food to enter the Gaza Strip after facing increasing pressure to lift the comprehensive blockade imposed more than two months ago.

The Israeli Prime Minister’s Office said on Sunday (May 18) that at the suggestion of the military, “Israel will approve a certain amount of basic food to enter Gaza to ensure that there is no famine crisis in the area,” AFP reported.

The statement pointed out that if a famine occurs in Gaza, it may jeopardize Israel’s new round of military operations. Israel also stressed that it will “take action to prevent Hamas from seizing humanitarian aid.” Israel has imposed a blockade since March 2, aiming to force Hamas to make concessions. But UN agencies have repeatedly warned that Gaza is facing a serious shortage of food, clean water, fuel and medicine.

Earlier in the day, the Israeli army stated that the army had “launched extensive ground operations in both north and south Gaza” and “deployed in key positions.”

This round of intensified offensive began last Saturday (17th). Israel said the goal of the operation was to rescue hostages and defeat Hamas. Meanwhile, the two sides are holding indirect talks in Qatar.

Netanyahu’s office said negotiators are “doing everything they can to reach an agreement – either under the ‘Witkoff framework’ or as part of an end to the war”. Steve Witkoff is the US Middle East envoy who is involved in the consultations.

Israel said the agreement would include “the release of all hostages, the exile of Hamas militants, and the disarmament of the Gaza Strip”.

Netanyahu gave a speech on April 19, 2025, vowing to continue Israeli military operations in Gaza. (Screenshot from X@netanyahu)

Negotiations brokered by Qatar, Egypt and the United States have not achieved a breakthrough since Israel resumed its offensive in March and a two-month ceasefire broke down.

Netanyahu insisted on ending the war only after “completely defeating Hamas”, while Hamas refused to disarm.

A Hamas negotiator with knowledge of the matter said the organization was willing to “release all Israeli hostages at once, provided a comprehensive and permanent ceasefire agreement is reached.” But Israel “hopes that Hamas will release the hostages in one or two batches in exchange for a temporary ceasefire.”

Air raid sirens sounded in southern Israel on Sunday afternoon. The Israeli army said one of the two rockets fired from Gaza was intercepted. The Israeli army then issued an evacuation order for parts of Gaza and warned that it would “launch a heavy attack on all rocket launch sites.”

Basar, a spokesman for the Gaza Civil Defense, said that as of Sunday afternoon, at least 50 people had been killed in the ongoing Israeli air strikes that day. In an airstrike on a displaced persons’ tent area in the Almawwasi area in southern Gaza, 22 people were killed and at least 100 others were injured. The Israeli army statement said that in a round of “initial strikes” over the past week, the military had hit “more than 670 Hamas terrorist targets in the Gaza Strip.”