At least 30 Palestinians killed by Israeli fire while collecting humanitarian aid

The recent escalation has resulted in significant casualties, with claims of over 30 deaths and hundreds injured at aid distribution sites in Gaza, raising urgent calls for unimpeded relief access.

Israeli gunfire reportedly led to the deaths of at least 30 Palestinians who were queuing for humanitarian aid in northern Gaza on Wednesday, as stated by the Hamas-run civil defense agency. The agency also reported that around 300 additional individuals sustained injuries during the incident. In response, Israeli officials mentioned that they were looking into the details, with the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) asserting they had fired "warning shots" when a crowd began to form around aid trucks located 3 kilometers southwest of the Zikim crossing, denying any awareness of casualties. Mohammed Abu Salmiya, director of al-Shifa Hospital in Gaza City, confirmed to AFP that his facility had received 35 bodies from the scene, later reporting that the number had risen to at least 48, according to the Associated Press.

In a separate incident, hospital sources indicated that six Palestinians were killed near a Humanitarian Foundation aid distribution center in Rafah on the same day, though the GHF asserted that no killings occurred at or around their locations. The IDF characterized the individuals as a "gathering of suspects" that posed a danger to their troops and claimed the shots were fired at a distance from the distribution center, arguing that initial reviews did not align with the casualty figures provided by other sources.

According to the UN human rights office, more than 1,000 Palestinians have fallen victim to Israeli military action while attempting to secure food supplies since late May. The Hamas-run health ministry reported that over 150 individuals, including 89 children, have succumbed to malnutrition since the beginning of the Israel-Hamas conflict in 2023.

A group of UN-backed global food security experts recently warned that a "worst-case scenario of famine is currently playing out" in Gaza, pointing out that recent announcements from Israel regarding "tactical pauses" in military actions to facilitate aid delivery do not align with the realities on the ground. The Israeli government contends that it is not imposing limitations on aid entering the region, a claim disputed by several European nations and the UN.

In a statement, UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres emphasized that the insufficient aid to Gaza must be dramatically increased, calling for the flow of "food, water, medicine and fuel" to become abundant and uninterrupted. As part of ongoing diplomatic efforts concerning the humanitarian situation in Gaza, US Special Envoy Steve Witkoff is scheduled to visit Israel this Thursday. This visit comes after Canada mirrored France and the UK in announcing plans to recognize a Palestinian state at the upcoming UN General Assembly in September—marking the third G7 nation to take such a step. According to the Hamas-run health ministry, over 60,000 Palestinians have died in Israeli military operations since October 2023, including a tragic toll of 18,592 children and 9,782 women, following Israel's offensive initiated in response to the Hamas attack on southern Israel on October 7, 2023, which resulted in around 1,200 Israeli fatalities and 251 hostages.