Israeli Fire Kills 67 People Seeking Aid in Gaza, Health Ministry Says

At least 67 Palestinians were killed by Israeli fire as they waited for UN aid trucks in northern Gaza on Sunday, according to the Gaza health ministry. The incident marked one of the deadliest attacks on aid seekers in recent weeks, with dozens more injured in the attack. The health ministry also reported six additional deaths near another aid site in the south of Gaza.

The Israeli military stated that its troops had fired warning shots toward a crowd of thousands in northern Gaza to remove what it called an “immediate threat.” However, it did not comment on the deaths in the south, and it claimed that initial findings suggested the casualty figures were inflated. The military also reiterated that it does not intentionally target humanitarian aid trucks.

The UN World Food Programme (WFP) confirmed that a convoy of 25 trucks carrying food aid encountered massive crowds of hungry civilians who were then subjected to gunfire. The WFP called the violence “completely unacceptable” and urged an immediate halt to all attacks on aid seekers.

A Hamas official expressed anger over the mounting deaths and the worsening hunger crisis, warning that the situation could derail ongoing ceasefire talks in Qatar. Health authorities in Gaza reported that 90 people had been killed by Israeli gunfire and airstrikes across the enclave on Sunday.

Displaced residents in Deir al-Balah, central Gaza, began evacuating after Israel dropped leaflets urging people to leave. Israeli planes reportedly struck three houses in the area, prompting families to flee with their belongings. Hundreds of thousands of displaced Gazans are currently sheltering in the region, and the Israeli military claimed it had not entered the areas subject to the evacuation order.

Meanwhile, the humanitarian crisis in Gaza continues to deepen. Palestinian health officials warned that hundreds of people could die from starvation as hospitals are overwhelmed with patients suffering from dizziness and exhaustion due to the lack of food. The health ministry said that at least 71 children had died from malnutrition during the war, and 60,000 others are suffering from malnutrition symptoms. On Sunday alone, 18 people were reported to have died from hunger in the past 24 hours.

Food prices have skyrocketed, making it nearly impossible for the majority of Gaza’s population to afford even basic necessities. Many residents reported going without food for days, with some having only one meal or none at all in the past 24 hours. A nurse named Ziad told Reuters, “As a father, I wake up in the early morning to look for food, for even a loaf of bread for my five children, but all in vain.”

UNRWA, the UN refugee agency dedicated to Palestinians, called on Israel to allow more aid trucks into Gaza, stating that it had enough food for the entire population for over three months but was being prevented from delivering it. The Israeli military, however, claimed that it views the transfer of humanitarian aid into Gaza as a matter of “utmost importance” and works to facilitate its entry in coordination with the international community.

Meanwhile, truce talks between Israel and Hamas in Doha have made little progress, with both sides continuing to demand concessions. The war, which began on 7 October 2023 when Hamas-led militants attacked Israel, has resulted in the deaths of over 58,000 Palestinians and displaced nearly the entire population of Gaza.

As the situation in Gaza grows increasingly dire, the international community continues to call for an immediate ceasefire and a greater influx of humanitarian aid to prevent further loss of life.