Gaza: Even Waiting for Food Can Get You Killed

According to health officials, over 100 Palestinians were killed and approximately 700 were injured when Israeli soldiers fired upon a crowd waiting for food aid southwest of Gaza City. This incident took place amid an unprecedented hunger crisis in the city. 

The Gaza Ministry of Health reported that at least 104 people lost their lives, with more than 750 sustaining injuries. The Palestinian Ministry of Foreign Affairs condemned the event as a cold-blooded “massacre,” attributing it to what they labeled as Israel’s ongoing “genocidal war.” Urgent international intervention was urged to establish a ceasefire as a means of protecting civilians.

The gathering occurred on al-Rashid Street, where aid trucks carrying flour were expected. Verified footage depicted the bodies of numerous casualties being loaded onto trucks as ambulances were unable to reach the scene.

Eyewitnesses described the situation as chaotic, with individuals seeking flour coming under fire from the Israeli army. After the incident, the arrival of tanks advanced the seriousness of the situation, which caused a crowd to run over the deceased and wounded.

A  Betrayal 

Palestinians, who desperately needed aid, voiced their fury at the strike and saw it as a betrayal among the destruction. The overwhelming number of casualties, many with serious wounds from gunfire and artillery shelling, was reported by hospital workers. However, the hospital couldn’t provide essential facilities to the injured. 

In addition to the hardship of caring for the injured, medical institutions also had to deal with shortages of fuel and medications. The US promised to look into the issue further and acknowledged its importance. 

Recent days have seen similar attacks on gatherings awaiting aid deliveries, further growing the humanitarian crisis in Gaza.

The conflict between aid agencies and Israel continues

While aid agencies accuse Israel of obstructing deliveries, Israel denies these allegations, asserting compliance with international directives. However, rights groups argue to the contrary, citing breaches of previous orders aimed at mitigating suffering in the besieged enclave.

In view of the continuing disputes between Israel and Hamas, the chairman of UNRWA, Philippe Lazzarini, stated on social media on Sunday that requests to permit food delivery in Gaza have either been refused or “have fallen on deaf ears.” The UN official warned that there was a “looming famine” and that the situation was turning into a “man-made disaster.”

Warnings of famine have escalated, with a significant portion of the population facing acute malnutrition, particularly young children. Operational challenges for aid agencies, including delays, violence, and looting, have hindered efforts to alleviate suffering.

After an attack on October 7, over 30,000 individuals have died; the majority of them were women and children, while 70,457 were wounded.