In a tragic escalation of violence, Gaza’s civil defense agency reported that Israeli airstrikes on Thursday resulted in the deaths of 22 individuals throughout the Palestinian territory, with a majority—16 people—targeted as they gathered to collect humanitarian aid. The ever-deepening hunger crisis in Gaza has made the distribution of food and essential supplies increasingly precarious and dangerous.
Civil defense official Mohammed al-Mughayyir informed AFP that Al-Awda Hospital received ten victims and approximately 200 others injured, including many women and children, due to the strikes by Israeli drones. These attacks specifically targeted civilian gatherings near an aid distribution point close to the Netzarim checkpoint in central Gaza. Furthermore, six additional fatalities were reported at Gaza City’s Al-Shifa Hospital as a result of similar assaults near Netzarim and in the Al-Sudaniya area in northwestern Gaza.
The Israeli military has stated that it is currently investigating these reports. Due to stringent media restrictions within Gaza and the inherent challenges of ground access, AFP is unable to independently verify the casualty figures provided by the civil defense agency.
In addition to the fatalities recorded during airstrikes, Mughayyir mentioned that another six individuals were killed throughout other areas of Gaza amid ongoing Israeli attacks.
Adding to the complexity of the situation, the US- and Israeli-backed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF) accused the Palestinian militant group Hamas of assaulting aid workers en route to a distribution center on Wednesday evening, which led to the deaths of at least five individuals. The GHF reported that a bus carrying its staff was “brutally attacked by Hamas” near the southern city of Khan Yunis around 10:00 PM local time. The organization confirmed that all five fatalities were Palestinian aid workers.
In a statement shared on social media platform X, Israel’s foreign ministry further condemned Hamas, accusing the group of “weaponising suffering in Gaza” by depriving residents of food, targeting humanitarian workers, and neglecting the needs of its own population. Since the GHF’s humanitarian operations commenced in late May, reports indicate that dozens of Palestinians have lost their lives while attempting to reach distribution points.
The dire humanitarian conditions in Gaza continue to deteriorate, underscoring an urgent need for safe and secure access to aid for the critically affected civilian population.
