At least 67 Palestinians were killed on Sunday after Israeli troops opened fire near a crowd waiting for aid trucks in northern Gaza, according to Gaza’s health ministry. Dozens more were injured in what has become one of the deadliest recent incidents involving people seeking humanitarian assistance.
The Israeli military said its forces fired warning shots toward the crowd, claiming there was an “immediate threat.” It stated that initial reports suggest the casualty figures are likely inflated but added that Israel “certainly does not intentionally target humanitarian aid trucks.”
The United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) confirmed that a convoy of 25 aid trucks carrying food entered Gaza on Sunday but was met by “massive crowds of hungry civilians” who later came under gunfire. The WFP described the incident as “completely unacceptable.”
In a separate incident in southern Gaza, six more people were reportedly killed near another aid distribution site.
Hunger Worsens Amid Ongoing Conflict
Gaza’s humanitarian crisis continues to deteriorate. According to health officials, hospitals are overwhelmed by patients suffering from hunger-related illnesses such as dizziness and exhaustion. The health ministry said at least 71 children have died from malnutrition during the war, with more than 60,000 others showing symptoms of starvation. Eighteen people reportedly died of hunger in the past 24 hours alone.
Food scarcity has led to extreme inflation, making basic staples like flour unaffordable for most of Gaza’s over 2 million residents. Many families are surviving on one meal a day—or less. “As a father, I wake up early to look for food, even a loaf of bread for my five children, but all in vain,” said Ziad, a nurse in Gaza.
The United Nations and its agencies have warned that hundreds more could die if food and medical aid are not urgently delivered. UNRWA, the U.N. agency for Palestinian refugees, said it has food supplies for the entire Gaza population for over three months but cannot get them into the region due to Israeli restrictions.
Israel says it considers the delivery of humanitarian aid a priority and coordinates with the international community to facilitate entry.
Ceasefire Talks Under Strain
The incident has further strained ceasefire negotiations between Israel and Hamas, currently underway in Doha. A Hamas official told Reuters that the ongoing deaths and worsening hunger could jeopardize the talks, which are focused on reaching a 60-day truce and a hostage exchange deal.
Israel’s military has also issued new evacuation orders for parts of central Gaza, including Deir al-Balah, an area already crowded with displaced families. Some suspect this move is intended to pressure Hamas during negotiations. Israeli officials have said they believe some of the remaining hostages are being held in areas now targeted for evacuation.
Hostage families expressed concern about the military’s decisions, asking for assurances that operations would not put their loved ones at risk. “Can anyone promise us that this decision will not come at the cost of losing our loved ones?” the families said in a statement.
War’s Ongoing Toll
The war, which began after Hamas-led militants attacked Israel on October 7, 2023, killing 1,200 people and taking 251 hostages, has led to severe consequences for Gaza. According to local health officials, more than 58,000 Palestinians have died in Israeli military operations since the conflict began. Nearly the entire population of Gaza has been displaced, and much of the territory has been reduced to rubble.
Pope Leo condemned the violence on Sunday, calling for an end to the “barbarity of war,” especially after an Israeli strike on Gaza’s only Catholic church killed three people last week.
As Gaza faces deepening famine and relentless military operations, the need for humanitarian aid and a ceasefire has become increasingly urgent.
