Israeli forces continued to engage with Palestinian factions in Rafah and southern Gaza, despite Sunday's announcement by the Israeli military of scheduled pauses in operations to facilitate humanitarian aid, stated UNRWA head Philippe Lazzarini.

On Sunday, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu criticized the military's plan to implement daily stops in fighting along a major thoroughfare into the blockaded Palestinian territory, which has been subject to intensive Israeli attack for over eight months.

Lazzarini, who leads the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA), the primary body providing humanitarian aid to Gaza, mentioned that no cessation in hostilities had occurred.

“There is information indicating such a decision, but politically, no formal decision has been made,” Lazzarini remarked at a press briefing on Monday. “Currently, hostilities are ongoing in Rafah and southern Gaza, and operationally, nothing has changed.”

The Israeli military confirmed on Monday that its forces were active in the Rafah region, involving ground combat. Residents reported that Israeli troops were advancing into central and western Rafah, while Hamas forces were engaging in close-quarters combat within the Shaboura camp in Rafah's core, with continuous explosions and gunfire audible.

Over the weekend, the Israeli military announced daily pauses from 05:00 GMT to 16:00 GMT in the area from the Karem Abu Salem (Kerem Shalom) crossing to the Salah al-Din Road, extending northwards. They later clarified that operations would persist in Rafah, the focal point of their onslaught in southern Gaza.

Humanitarian officials internationally have repeatedly indicated that Israeli inspections, ongoing conflict, and theft by desperate residents have hindered aid deliveries. Israeli ground troops have operated in Rafah since early May and have since sealed the essential Rafah border with Egypt.

Even before the ground operation in Rafah, the influx of humanitarian aid into Gaza was insufficient, with hundreds of trucks entering the southern region of Gaza, far below the needs of its 2.3 million residents.

‘Hell on earth’

“As we consistently emphasize, humanitarian operations in Gaza must be fully supported, and all barriers must be removed,” UN deputy spokesman Farhan Haq told The Associated Press on Monday. “We need secure delivery of aid throughout Gaza.”

With the Israeli offensive in its ninth month, displaced Palestinians urgently require food, water, sanitation, shelter, and healthcare, “with many living near heaps of waste, increasing health risks,” Haq noted.

He stressed that Israel must expedite the movement of aid convoys and personnel through checkpoints, ensure road functionality, and facilitate regular fuel deliveries to Gaza, where fuel is critically scarce.

UN humanitarian chief Martin Griffiths, in a New York Times op-ed, described Gaza as “hell on earth” with famine on the horizon. He noted that aid is obstructed and politicized while hunger and disease spread. He highlighted the unacceptable losses faced by humanitarian workers, healthcare professionals, and journalists.

Reflecting these sentiments, Gaza’s Government Media Office accused Israel and the US of “intentionally worsening” famine-like conditions in Gaza by using humanitarian aid as a political tool. The office issued a statement on Monday accusing Israel and the US of “deliberately exacerbating the humanitarian crisis” to pursue political objectives.

On Monday, Norway announced a 100 million kroner ($9.3m) increase in funding to UNRWA amid accusations from Israel regarding the involvement of UNRWA employees in attacks on southern Israel led by Hamas on October 7. The accusations had led several countries, including major donor the US, to suspend aid to the agency, though many have since resumed support.

“UNRWA is crucial to the humanitarian response in Gaza,” said Norway’s Minister for International Development, Anne Beathe Tvinnereim. “The conflict, Israel's accusations, continuous attacks on the organization, and withheld funds by major donors have put UNRWA in a dire financial situation.”

An independent review of UNRWA, led by former French Foreign Minister Catherine Colonna, identified some “neutrality-related issues” but noted that Israel had not provided evidence substantiating its primary claims.