Dozens of Palestinians Killed While Waiting for Aid in Gaza as Global Outcry Grows
In one of the deadliest episodes of the ongoing conflict in Gaza, Israeli forces reportedly opened fire on desperate civilians waiting for food near Gaza City, killing at least 93 people, according to Gaza’s civil defense agency. The attack, described as one of the bloodiest incidents involving aid seekers, has sparked international condemnation and renewed calls for an end to the violence.
The Gaza Health Ministry stated that those killed had gathered near the Zikim crossing in the north, where UN aid trucks were attempting to deliver food. It was one of the highest death tolls reported in a series of recent deadly confrontations at aid distribution points.
Elsewhere in Gaza, more bloodshed unfolded. Nine people were reportedly shot dead near an aid point in Rafah, just a day after dozens were killed in a similar incident. In Khan Younis, four more civilians were said to have lost their lives while seeking food, according to civil defense spokesperson Mahmud Basal.
Israel Disputes Casualty Figures
Israel’s military acknowledged that its forces had fired on a crowd of thousands in northern Gaza, claiming it perceived a threat. However, it disputed the casualty numbers reported by Palestinian officials, saying initial investigations suggest a significantly lower toll. The military has yet to address the incidents in the southern parts of Gaza.
Meanwhile, the UN World Food Programme (WFP) confirmed that a 25-truck convoy carrying food aid was met with “massive crowds of hungry civilians” near Gaza City and was subsequently fired upon. “Any violence involving civilians seeking humanitarian aid is completely unacceptable,” the WFP said in a statement.
At al-Shifa Hospital, director Mohammed Abu Salmiya reported that since early Sunday, 48 people had died and 150 others were injured trying to reach the aid convoy. He was unable to confirm whether the gunfire came from Israeli forces, armed factions, or both.
Pope Leo XIV Condemns Gaza Violence
Pope Leo XIV joined a growing chorus of international voices condemning the violence. Speaking after the Angelus prayer at his summer residence near Rome, the Pope decried the “barbarity” of the war and called for an immediate ceasefire and peaceful resolution.
He also expressed sorrow over a recent Israeli strike on Gaza’s only Catholic church, which killed three and injured ten, including the parish priest. The church was sheltering around 600 displaced civilians, many of them children and people with disabilities. Israel has launched an investigation and expressed “deep sorrow” over the incident.
“This attack, sadly, is part of a broader pattern of military assaults on civilians and places of worship in Gaza,” the Pope said. “I call on the international community to uphold humanitarian law, protect civilians, and end collective punishment and the indiscriminate use of force.”
Humanitarian Crisis Deepens Amid Evacuation Orders
On Sunday, Israel revoked the residency permit of Jonathan Whittall, the head of the UN’s humanitarian office (OCHA) in Israel, after he publicly criticized the dire conditions in Gaza. Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar accused him of spreading misinformation, though no evidence was provided.
At the same time, Israel issued new evacuation orders for central Gaza — one of the few areas where ground troops had not previously operated and where many aid agencies have been active. Residents in Deir al-Balah reported airstrikes hitting homes, forcing families to flee without knowing where to go.
“They dropped leaflets on us, but we have no idea where to go. We have no shelter,” one resident told AFP.
The UN’s humanitarian affairs office described the evacuation as “a devastating blow” to already strained aid efforts. UNRWA, the UN agency for Palestinian refugees, echoed those concerns, accusing Israel of deliberately starving civilians, including one million children. The agency said it has enough food stored in Egypt to feed all of Gaza for three months — if allowed to deliver it.
“Open the gates, lift the siege, let us do our job,” UNRWA urged, adding that malnutrition and infant mortality have surged in recent weeks.
Humanitarian Groups Sidelined as Aid Crisis Escalates
UNRWA, long the backbone of Gaza’s humanitarian infrastructure, has been banned from operating in Gaza and the West Bank by Israel, which alleges links between the agency’s staff and Hamas. However, an independent review found Israel had not provided evidence to support those claims.
Since May, aid distribution has largely been taken over by the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF), a new entity supported by the U.S. and Israel. But with limited reach and resources, GHF has struggled to meet the population’s needs. The situation has worsened since Israel imposed a full blockade on March 2, driving up food prices and leaving shelves bare.
According to the UN, at least 875 people have died in recent weeks while trying to obtain food, 674 of them near GHF distribution points. Another 201 were killed around UN-run aid convoys. In some tragic cases, children died simply trying to fetch water for their families.
War’s Toll Mounts
The war began after Hamas launched a surprise attack on southern Israel on October 7, 2023, killing about 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and taking 251 hostages.
Since then, the Gaza Health Ministry reports that at least 58,895 Palestinians have been killed and 140,980 injured in Israeli attacks — the vast majority civilians.
