DEIR AL-BALAH, Gaza Strip – Recent Israeli airstrikes on the Gaza Strip resulted in the deaths of at least 16 Palestinians, as reported by local health officials. This incident occurs amidst an ongoing 20-month conflict with Hamas, which has recently seen Israel extend its military operations to include heavy strikes on Iran. These actions have prompted retaliatory drone and missile attacks from Iranian forces.
In a separate incident, 11 Palestinians were killed near food distribution points managed by a humanitarian group supported by Israel and the United States. This tragedy is part of a series of almost daily shootings that have plagued these sites since their establishment last month. Palestinian witnesses claim that Israeli forces opened fire on crowds, while the military contends it only fired warning shots towards individuals it described as suspects approaching their position.
The Israeli military did not respond to requests for comments regarding these latest shootings. The food distribution sites, situated in military-designated zones inaccessible to independent media, were closed on Saturday by the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation, the contractor operating these centers. Despite the closure, witnesses reported that thousands of people gathered, driven by desperate hunger as the Israeli blockade and military offensive have left the region on the brink of famine.
The al-Awda Hospital documented receiving eight bodies and at least 125 wounded individuals following gunfire near a Gaza Humanitarian Foundation site within central Gaza. Residents from nearby areas, like the Bureij refugee camp, narrated instances of Israeli forces shooting at the crowd approximately one kilometer away from the distribution point, causing panic and a rush for safety.
Moreover, the Nasser Hospital in Khan Younis reported receiving 16 deceased individuals, including five women, due to multiple Israeli strikes late Friday and into Saturday. Further casualties were reported in Rafah, where three men were killed near two aid sites situated in a largely uninhabited military zone.
Israel and the United States defend the new aid distribution system as a replacement for the previous U.N.-run network accused of allowing Hamas to divert aid for militant activities. However, U.N. officials dispute these claims, asserting that they have not seen significant evidence of aid siphoning by Hamas and that the new system is inadequate to meet the increased demands of the population. This new arrangement is seen as militarizing aid distribution, placing Israel in control of who gets access and forcing displaced Palestinians to undertake lengthy travels for assistance.
The U.N. has faced challenges delivering aid even after Israel lifted some blockade restrictions last month due to military limitations and rising lawlessness within Gaza. The ongoing war, which began on October 7, 2023, when Hamas militants launched an attack resulting in the deaths of approximately 1,200 individuals in southern Israel, has significantly escalated in brutality. Following the attack, Hamas has kept 53 hostages, with less than half thought to still be alive, as many others were released during temporary ceasefires or negotiations.
Israel’s retaliatory offensive has reportedly led to the deaths of over 55,000 Palestinians, as per the Gaza Health Ministry's figures, which indicate that women and children comprise a significant portion of the casualties, though it does not differentiate between civilians and combatants. The military campaign has decimated extensive areas of Gaza, displacing around 90% of the 2 million Palestinian population, rendering them almost entirely dependent on international aid.
The conflict has also embroiled Iran and its regional allies, culminating in Israel's recent large-scale strikes targeting Iranian nuclear and military facilities. This spiraling situation reflects a broader geopolitical tension affecting the region.
