Aid Turns Deadly: Israel Kills 46 in Gaza as Civilians Flock to Food Centers
The ongoing Gaza humanitarian crisis deepened on Tuesday as Israeli forces killed 46 Palestinians during fresh strikes near aid distribution points, just hours after a ceasefire was reached between Israel and Iran. Civil defense officials in Gaza reported dozens of deaths and hundreds of injuries as civilians sought food in famine-like conditions.
Strikes Near Food Centers
In central Gaza, Israeli gunfire and shelling near the Netzarim corridor left 21 people dead and nearly 150 injured, according to civil defense spokesman Mahmud Bassal. A separate incident in southern Gaza killed 25 more near the Rafah governorate. Witnesses described chaotic scenes as Israeli forces allegedly opened fire on crowds estimated to be in the tens of thousands.
Read: Gaza Death Toll Rises to 44 in a Single Day Amid Ongoing Israeli Attacks
Health System Overwhelmed
Medical personnel say hospitals are overwhelmed. “We receive dozens of casualties every day. We can’t keep up,” said Ziad Farhat, a paramedic at Nasser Hospital. Al-Awda Hospital alone received 19 dead and 146 wounded from one of Tuesday’s incidents.
The Gaza Health Ministry claims over 500 people have been killed and nearly 3,800 injured by Israeli fire while trying to collect rations since late May. The blockade from early March to May worsened the already dire food shortage.
UN, Rights Groups Slam Food Aid Management
Mounting criticism is now targeting the US- and Israeli-backed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF), which replaced UN agencies in managing aid. The UN human rights office condemned the “weaponisation of food,” labeling it a war crime. UNRWA officials called the new system “an abomination.”
GHF denies responsibility for the deaths but admits it cannot meet full aid demands due to ongoing conflict and access restrictions.
Pressure on Israel to Expand Ceasefire
The violence in Gaza has reignited calls within Israel to extend the ceasefire to include the Palestinian territory. Opposition leader Yair Lapid urged Prime Minister Netanyahu to end the Gaza war and secure the release of hostages. However, Netanyahu maintains the war will continue “a bit longer.”
Since October 2023, Israeli military actions in Gaza have reportedly killed over 56,000 people, mostly civilians.
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