Hospitals report that dozens of Palestinians have died in their desperate attempts to reach aid distribution sites amid ongoing military actions in Gaza.
Tragic Loss of Life in Gaza as Palestinians Seek Humanitarian Aid
Tragic Loss of Life in Gaza as Palestinians Seek Humanitarian Aid
Escalating violence in Gaza leads to countless deaths while civilians attempt to access food and supplies.
Dozens of Palestinians have been killed while seeking humanitarian aid in Gaza, according to reports from local hospital officials. Two medical facilities in the region announced that at least 25 individuals lost their lives overnight near a convoy distributing flour and food, organized by the US- and Israel-backed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF), located within the Netzarim corridor—an Israeli military-controlled zone in central Gaza.
The Hamas-run Civil Defence agency claimed that Israeli forces opened fire during the incident, with reports indicating that some casualties may have been caused by being crushed by lorries or shot by fellow Palestinians. In response to claims of violence, the Israeli military stated that warning shots were fired at individuals approaching their ranks. Additional reports from Nasser hospital in Khan Younis indicated that six more people died from Israeli gunfire close to another GHF site in Rafah.
The GHF reported distributing over 43,000 food parcels from its three centres in Rafah and central Gaza without incident; however, alarming incidents near GHF distribution sites have reportedly occurred daily since the programme's initiation on May 26. The Hamas-run health ministry has recorded a staggering 223 deaths and 1,858 injuries linked to civilians attempting to access aid designated areas over the last fortnight.
Despite the GHF's efforts to sidestep the United Nations in delivering aid to Gaza's 2.1 million residents, the UN and other humanitarian organizations have refused to collaborate with this new system, citing violations of fundamental humanitarian principles such as neutrality and independence. They have cautioned of an impending humanitarian crisis marked by extreme hunger levels due to a near-total Israeli blockade that was only partially alleviated three weeks prior.
The GHF, employing US private security contractors, asserts that its framework will avert aid misappropriation by Hamas; however, the UN contends that such incidents are not widespread and Hamas denies involvement in any aid theft. This turmoil has escalated following the Israeli military's response to a Hamas-led attack that claimed the lives of about 1,200 individuals in southern Israel on October 7, 2023, resulting in further conflict that has left over 55,104 people dead in Gaza, according to the region’s health ministry.
