At least 48 Palestinians were killed and dozens more were injured while receiving food at a checkpoint in the Gaza region on Wednesday, according to a local medical facility.
These events coincided with the visit of an American diplomat to the Middle East to hold talks with the Israeli side on the escalation of the conflict related to the distribution of humanitarian aid.
International food security experts estimate that the Israeli military operation and entry restrictions have created a catastrophic food crisis in the territory of two million people. The chaotic security situation is causing large crowds to gather around humanitarian convoys.
Steven Witkoff, the US special envoy previously involved in resolving the 22-month conflict and freeing hostages after Hamas attacks, arrives in Israel on Thursday to discuss the situation in Gaza.
Shifa Hospital officials said the victims were among a crowd at the Zikim crossing, a key aid point in northern Gaza. Details of the incident, including the source of the shooting, have not yet been established. The Israeli army, which controls the area, has not yet given an official explanation.
AP footage shows bodies being evacuated from the scene using medical vehicles and makeshift carts, as well as groups of people carrying food.
The Al-Sarayya field clinic has recorded more than 100 casualties requiring stabilization before being transported. Fares Awad, head of emergency services, said some of the dead have been taken to other medical facilities, which could increase the final death toll.
Earlier in the day, Israeli airstrikes and shelling killed 46 people, mostly in food lines. Gaza's Health Ministry also reported seven deaths from malnutrition, including one child.
The Israeli army has refrained from commenting on individual incidents, insisting that the strikes targeted militants and blaming Hamas for civilian casualties in residential areas.
Under pressure from the international community, Israel has announced new measures to improve aid delivery, but aid workers say the steps are insufficient.
The IPC expert group assessing the scale of the famine has noted a sharp deterioration in the situation in Gaza, warning of the risk of mass deaths without urgent action.
According to Israel's COGAT, 220 trucks arrived in the region on Tuesday, well below the minimum requirement estimated by the UN at 500-600 vehicles daily – a level reached only during a temporary ceasefire earlier this year.
Distribution challenges remain, with much of the supply being handed out haphazardly in army-controlled areas. Alternative delivery channels via the Israeli-funded GHF have also been plagued by violent incidents.
Since May, more than a thousand Palestinians have been killed by Israeli fire while trying to get aid, mostly near GHF facilities, according to eyewitness accounts and UN data.
The IDF claims to have used warning shots to control crowds, while the GHF says the use of pepper spray and blanks was an attempt to prevent stampedes.
Renewed airborne aid deliveries have landed in evacuation zones or in the sea, forcing people to swim to get soaked flour.
Since the beginning of the conflict, 89 minors have died from the effects of malnutrition. Since the end of June, when the count of adults began, 65 deaths among adults from exhaustion have been recorded.
The Israeli side denies the existence of a humanitarian catastrophe, calling statements about famine politicized and an obstacle to the negotiation process.
The conflict began on October 7, 2023, after Hamas launched attacks on Israeli territory, killing 1,200 and kidnapping 251. Around 50 hostages remain in captivity, of whom around 20 are believed to be alive. Most were released during ceasefires.
The Israeli counteroffensive has killed more than 60,000 Palestinians, non-military and non-civilian, according to the Hamas-controlled Gaza Health Ministry, a figure recognized by the UN as the most reliable.
Sourse: breakingnews.ie
