Casualties Rise in Gaza as Palestinians Shot While Seeking Aid

Recent reports indicate a tragic incident in Gaza, where at least 12 Palestinians lost their lives due to Israeli gunfire while waiting near a US- and Israeli-supported aid distribution site. This shooting raises concerns about the safety and efficacy of the current aid distribution efforts.

At least 12 Palestinians have been reported killed by Israeli gunfire while waiting for humanitarian aid in central Gaza, according to medical services. The tragic incident occurred near an aid distribution center operated by the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF) on Thursday. GHF has denied any incidents occurring close to its facility, while the Israeli military claimed that soldiers fired warning shots at "suspects" approaching their forces near the Netzarim area, asserting they were unaware of any resulting injuries.

This event adds to the alarming frequency of shootings near various aid distribution sites in Gaza, where numerous civilians have been killed since May—when GHF initiated its aid operations aiming to bypass the United Nations as the primary supplier. The health ministry in Gaza confirmed that 12 individuals were killed while attempting to secure aid, although specifics were not disclosed. The Hamas-operated civil defense agency stated even higher casualty figures, reporting 15 deaths and 60 others injured from the skirmish.

As the chaos unfolded, thousands were reportedly gathered near the GHF-backed distribution site in the early hours, which led to an overwhelming inability for the crowd to avoid harm when Israeli forces opened fire, as recounted by eyewitnesses. The GHF has publicly dismissed claims of any violent incidents at their site, suggesting that inaccuracies persist in reporting by the Hamas-led health ministry.

Calls have surfaced from Hamas for the United Nations and its humanitarian organizations to assume sole control of aid distribution, criticizing GHF’s alternative system as undermining humanitarian principles. Meanwhile, the United Nations has voiced refusal to engage with the new system imposed by GHF.

Gaza's situation is further exacerbated by an 11-week total blockade, which has pushed the population towards severe starvation. The US and Israel argue that GHF’s framework is intended to curtail any aid theft by Hamas, a claim the militant group has denied.

In a disturbing parallel development, civil defense teams reported recovering numerous bodies from around Gaza following heavy Israeli shelling. In separate airstrikes, seven people were confirmed dead at a makeshift shelter in the Jabalia refugee camp, with eyewitnesses identifying the family victims as a couple and their five children.

This conflict intensified after a Hamas-led attack on southern Israel on October 7, 2023, which resulted in significant casualties. Since then, the Hamas-run health ministry in Gaza asserts that the death toll has climbed to at least 55,637 individuals. As the humanitarian crisis deepens, the call for a more coordinated and impartial aid distribution framework remains crucial for the survival of Gaza's civilians.