Israeli air strikes and gunfire killed at least 42 people in the Gaza Strip overnight and on Saturday, according to Palestinian health officials and the local ambulance service. Deaths from starvation continue and ceasefire talks appear to have stalled.
Staff at Shifa Hospital, where the bodies were taken, said most of the victims died from gunshot wounds while waiting for humanitarian aid trucks near the Zikim crossing on the border with Israel.
The Israeli military said it fired warning shots to disperse the crowd “in response to an imminent threat” and there were no reports of any casualties.
According to hospital and ambulance data, four people were killed in the strikes, including residents of an apartment building in Gaza City.
The strikes came as ceasefire talks between Israel and Hamas have stalled after the US and Israel withdrew their negotiating delegations on Thursday, further clouding the future of the discussions.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Friday that his government was looking for “alternative options” to negotiate a ceasefire with Hamas.
His comments came after a Hamas spokesman said talks were expected next week, and he described the withdrawal of the Israeli and American delegations as tactical pressure.
Egypt and Qatar, which are mediating the talks along with the United States, said the pause was temporary and talks would resume, although no timeline was given.
The United Nations (UN) and experts have noted that Palestinians in the Gaza Strip are at risk of starvation, with the number of malnutrition-related deaths on the rise.
While the Israeli army claims it allows humanitarian aid to enter the enclave without restrictions on the number of trucks, the UN says it is hampered by Israeli military restrictions on movement and incidents of looting.
The shooting at the Zikim crossing came just days after at least 80 Palestinians trying to get aid through the same crossing were killed.
Sheriff Abu Aisha said that during the gunfight on Friday evening, people began to run away after seeing a light they thought was coming from aid trucks, but when they approached
Sourse: breakingnews.ie
