Israeli Fire Claims Lives of 30 Palestinians Seeking Aid in Gaza

At least 30 Palestinians were killed by Israeli gunfire while waiting for humanitarian aid in northern Gaza amid ongoing military operations. The incident has drawn attention to the rising death toll as the UN reveals that over 1,000 Palestinians have lost their lives seeking aid since late May.

Israeli gunfire killed at least 30 Palestinians waiting for humanitarian assistance in northern Gaza on Wednesday, according to the Hamas-run civil defense agency. The Gaza civil defense spokesperson reported approximately 300 more individuals were wounded during the incident. While Israel confirmed that it fired "warning shots" after groups amassed around aid trucks near the Zikim crossing, they claimed to be "not aware of any casualties" resulting from their gunfire.

Mohammed Abu Salmiya, director of al-Shifa Hospital in Gaza City, conveyed that following the incident, his facility received 35 bodies, although later reports indicated at least 48 fatalities, as per the Associated Press. Concurrently, sources from Gaza hospitals mentioned that six Palestinians were killed near a Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF) aid distribution center, with the GHF denying any such happenings at its locations.

The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) stated that they had warned a "gathering of suspects" deemed a threat to their troops and fired "warning shots" from a distance of "hundreds of meters away" from the aid distribution center. The military also noted that an initial review suggests a discrepancy between reported casualties and their records.

As the humanitarian crisis worsens, the UN human rights office reported that over 1,000 Palestinians have been killed by the Israeli military while trying to obtain food aid since late May, with malnutrition leading to more than 150 fatalities since the onset of the Israel-Hamas war in 2023. The situation is dire, as UN-backed food security experts warned that a famine is unfolding in Gaza, while Israel announced "tactical pauses" in military operations to facilitate aid distribution.

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres emphasized the need for an increase in aid flow to Gaza, stating, "The trickle of aid must become an ocean. Food, water, medicine, and fuel must flow in waves and without obstruction; this nightmare must end." In response to the worsening humanitarian situation, U.S. Special Envoy Steve Witkoff plans to visit Israel, while Canada prepares to recognize a Palestinian state at the UN General Assembly in September, following similar actions by France and the UK.

According to the Hamas-run health ministry, the ongoing Israeli military campaign has resulted in over 60,000 Palestinian deaths since October 2023, including 18,592 children and 9,782 women. The conflict escalated following a Hamas-led attack on southern Israel on October 7, 2023, which left around 1,200 people dead and led to many being taken hostage.