At least 48 Palestinians were killed and dozens injured in the Gaza Strip on Wednesday while waiting for food at a checkpoint, a local hospital said.
The latest wave of violence over the distribution of humanitarian aid came as the US envoy to the Middle East was heading to Israel for talks.
An ongoing Israeli military offensive and blockade have led to a “worst-case famine scenario” in the coastal area, home to some two million Palestinians, according to the world’s leading hunger watchdog. The lawlessness has left aid convoys overwhelmed with desperate people.
U.S. Special Representative Steve Witkoff, who led the Trump administration's efforts to end the nearly 22-month war and free hostages taken in a Hamas attack that escalated the conflict, will arrive in Israel on Thursday to discuss the situation in Gaza.
Gaza's Shifa Hospital said the dead and wounded were among those gathered at the Zikim crossing, the main entry point for humanitarian aid into northern Gaza. It is unclear who opened fire and there is no immediate comment from the Israeli military, which controls the crossing.
Associated Press footage showed bodies being carried away from the scene in ambulances and wooden carts, as well as crowds of people carrying sacks of flour.
Al-Sarayya field hospital, where critical patients are stabilised before being transferred to main hospitals, reported more than 100 dead and wounded. Fares Awad, head of emergency services at the Gaza Health Ministry, said some bodies had been sent to other hospitals, indicating that the death toll could rise.
Earlier in the night and on Wednesday, Israeli strikes and shelling killed at least 46 Palestinians, most of them among crowds seeking food, health officials said. Seven Palestinians, including a child, also died from malnutrition, the Gaza Health Ministry said.
The Israeli military has not yet commented on any of the strikes. It says it is only targeting militants and blames Hamas for the civilian deaths because the militants operate in densely populated areas.
Under significant international pressure, Israel announced a series of measures over the weekend aimed at facilitating the flow of additional international aid to Gaza, but aid workers say more needs to be done
Sourse: breakingnews.ie
