A fresh wave of violence in northern Gaza has left dozens dead and many more injured, as civilians desperate for food were reportedly caught in gunfire while attempting to access humanitarian aid.
According to Gaza’s health ministry, Sunday’s incident marks one of the highest death tolls in recent aid-related tragedies, with at least 36 people also killed in a similar event just the day before. In a separate report, six others died near a different aid distribution point in southern Gaza.
Israel’s military said its troops opened fire after issuing warning shots at what they described as a “crowd of thousands” posing an “immediate threat.” The army insisted the casualty figures were likely exaggerated and maintained, “It certainly does not intentionally target humanitarian aid trucks.”
However, the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) painted a grim picture from the ground. In a statement, the agency confirmed that shortly after crossing into Gaza, a convoy of 25 trucks carrying food aid was overwhelmed by “massive crowds of hungry civilians,” who were later fired upon.
The growing humanitarian catastrophe has reportedly strained ongoing ceasefire negotiations. A Hamas official told Reuters the group is angered by the rising civilian death toll and worsening hunger, warning that these developments could severely derail the Qatar-hosted talks.
