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| Credit: Reuters |
At least 45 Palestinians were killed on Tuesday in Israeli strikes near an aid distribution center in the southern Gaza Strip, according to the Hamas-run Gaza Health Ministry and local medical officials. The deadly attack occurred as hundreds of Palestinians gathered to receive humanitarian aid amidst a severe blockade and ongoing military operations. Witnesses reported that Israeli drones and tanks targeted civilians traveling on foot and by vehicle toward the aid site between Rafah and Khan Younis, resulting in numerous fatalities and injuries.
The Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF), a US- and Israeli-backed organization, operates the aid distribution points, which have been controversial since their inception last month. Palestinians describe the sites as perilous, with many viewing them as "execution sites" due to repeated Israeli fire. Despite this, desperate residents continue to risk their lives to access food amid famine-like conditions caused by a nearly three-month blockade.
The Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) stated that the area was declared an active combat zone and that warning shots were fired to disperse crowds perceived as threats. The IDF claimed that one individual approached troops in a threatening manner, prompting a drone strike. However, the high civilian death toll has drawn widespread condemnation from humanitarian groups and the international community.
This attack is part of a series of escalating strikes between Israel and Iran-backed groups, intensifying the humanitarian crisis in Gaza. The United Nations and major aid organizations have criticized the new aid distribution system for lacking impartiality and neutrality, warning that it allows Israel to control aid access and exacerbates civilian suffering.
The ongoing violence and repeated attacks near aid centers underscore the dire situation faced by Palestinians in Gaza, trapped between military conflict and starvation.
