India, July 28 -- Israel's tactical pause in fighting in three areas of Gaza - to allow minimal humanitarian aid to reach starving Palestinians - may temporarily help in averting mass starvation deaths in the war zone. Israel's military onslaught is aimed at destroying Hamas and rescuing the last of the hostages in the latter's custody, but it hasn't spared tens of thousands of ordinary Gazans. The bulk of the territory's health care facilities and other utilities now lie in ruins. Tel Aviv's refusal to let humanitarian aid through - until the tactical pause - has added a massive hunger and deprivation crisis to the mix.

Up until now, Israel cited the operations of the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation - backed by the US and Israel - to gloss...