Gaza, — At least 67 people were killed in northern Gaza on Sunday when Israeli forces opened fire on crowds of Palestinians waiting for humanitarian aid, according to Gaza’s Health Ministry, as reported by Reuters.
The shooting comes at a time when hunger is sweeping through Gaza. With little aid getting in, thousands of people are going without food. The Health Ministry warned that the situation has become dire. “Hundreds of civilians, whose bodies have wasted away, are now on the edge of death due to starvation,” the ministry said.
Humanitarian supplies are arriving in extremely limited quantities. Although international aid groups say they are ready to deliver more, Israeli authorities are only allowing a restricted number of aid trucks to enter — and only through designated checkpoints.
Aid Lines Turn Deadly as Crowds Face Gunfire
Designated distribution points often attract huge crowds. International media have reported that Israeli forces have fired live rounds when those crowds grow out of control. Sunday’s incident is believed to be the deadliest related to aid delivery in Gaza so far. Shootings during food distributions have been increasing in recent days.
According to Reuters, 36 people were killed in a similar situation on Saturday. On Sunday, six more people were shot and killed at another aid location. Whenever aid trucks appear, desperate people — many of them starving — run toward them without hesitation, ignoring the danger. As the crowds surge, Israeli forces have reportedly responded with gunfire.
In just three days, at least 90 people have been killed while trying to get food, according to local health officials. The Israeli military has rejected those figures, claiming the Health Ministry is inflating the numbers and providing false information.
Food Scarcity Reaches Breaking Point as Children Starve
Residents say basic supplies like flour are nowhere to be found. Since the war began, 71 children have died from hunger, and nearly 60,000 are suffering from malnutrition, according to the Health Ministry. On Sunday alone, 18 people reportedly died from starvation.
The United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) has called on Israel to open humanitarian access. The agency says it has enough food to feed Gaza’s population for three months, but has not been granted clearance to distribute it, according to Reuters.
“We have food stockpiled for three months, but we are not being allowed to deliver it,” the agency said. Israel says it is handling aid delivery seriously and coordinating with the international community.
Meanwhile, indirect ceasefire talks between Israel and Hamas are underway in Qatar. Hamas has warned that if the killings of starving civilians continue, the talks could collapse.
