Israeli Fire Kills At Least Three Palestinians and Wounds Dozens Near Gaza Aid Site, Medics Say

 

Israeli Fire Kills At Least Three Palestinians and Wounds Dozens Near Gaza Aid Site, Medics Say According to local health authorities, at least three Palestinians were killed and dozens injured Monday near an aid distribution site operated by the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF), a U.S.-sponsored organization involved in delivering aid to Gaza. The incident occurred amidst a tense and volatile security situation that has severely hampered humanitarian efforts in the region. The Israeli military stated it was investigating reports of casualties but claimed to have fired warning shots during an operation in Rafah, a southern Gaza area under full Israeli control. The military added that their troops had taken preventive measures to deter suspects approaching the soldiers, asserting that the incident occurred approximately one kilometer away from the aid site. The GHF maintained that no fatalities or injuries occurred during the distribution, which they described as peaceful, and denied reports of casualties near their location.

Recent days have seen a surge in violence, with Israeli strikes across Gaza killing 51 people and injuring around 500 in the past 24 hours. Notably, at least 16 victims were killed earlier Monday in an attack on a house in Jabalia, in northern Gaza. This escalation follows a period of fragile calm after an almost three-month Israeli blockade on aid movement into Gaza. The blockade's easing last month has allowed some humanitarian deliveries, but the situation remains dire, with the United Nations warning that most of Gaza’s 2 million residents are at risk of famine.

The Gaza Health Ministry and local medics have expressed frustration over restrictions and ongoing violence, with families mourning victims killed while seeking aid or food. Relatives of Hussam Wafi, a man killed near the aid site, described the victims’ deaths as driven by hunger, criticizing the collision of humanitarian needs and ongoing hostilities. Meanwhile, efforts to negotiate a ceasefire have faltered. Israel and Hamas blame each other for the breakdown of a proposed temporary truce that would see hostages released and fighting cease. Mediation efforts involve Egypt and Qatar, but no agreement has been reached yet amid ongoing clashes and military operations.

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