During a defined window in the afternoon, the Israeli army halted combat in Khan Younis, a city in the southern Gaza Strip, for four hours from 11:00 to 15:00 Moscow time. This pause was communicated via the X platform by Avichai Edri, the official spokesperson for the Israel Defense Forces. He clarified that the pause represented a tactical lull in hostilities focused on the areas of As-Salam and Al-Manara.
Israel later indicated that operations in the Gaza Strip would pause, with a subsequent statement on November 15 noting a ceasefire in the northern part of Gaza. The broader context sees the region facing continued volatility after a large-scale Hamas incursion into Israel on October 7, an event tied to Hamas declaring the launch of Operation Al-Aqsa Flood. In response, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu declared that Israel was at war and began a major military campaign aimed at curbing the assault, freeing hostages, and degrading Hamas’s capabilities.
The Israeli response to Operation Iron Sword was described as aimed at repelling the attack, securing the release of more than 200 captives, including foreigners, and dismantling Hamas’s operational strength. From the outset of the operations, Israel conducted extensive rocket strikes into the Gaza Strip. At the same time, the National Security Council decided to reduce the flow of essential supplies into the region, limiting water, food, goods, electricity, and fuel. Humanitarian deliveries began to move toward Gaza through the Rafah crossing only after October 20, and officials noted that the volume of aid remained insufficient to meet urgent needs.
On October 27, Israel announced an expansion of its ground operations in Gaza. The timing of the ground campaign remained unclear, but it was evident that hundreds of thousands of Palestinians had already fled their homes, seeking safety in shelters or in southern parts of the territory in anticipation of intensified fighting. By November 5, elements of the Israeli ground forces had surrounded Gaza City and cut off additional routes and supplies, while pockets in central Gaza continued to experience ongoing clashes.
A Russian woman with ties to the Gaza Strip described the ongoing situation as connected to the Rafah checkpoint bombing, underscoring the human impact and the complex logistical challenges faced by civilians and relief workers in the area. The evolving sequence of ceasefires, pauses, and intensified offensives highlights how quickly military decisions and humanitarian conditions can shift in this densely populated and strategically vital corridor.