Additional Coverage:
Gaza Aid Efforts Marred by Deadly Violence, Evacuation Orders Expand
Gaza City – In one of the deadliest days for Gazan civilians since the war began 21 months ago, at least 85 Palestinians were killed Sunday seeking aid, according to the Hamas-run Health Ministry. The majority of the deaths, at least 67, occurred in northern Gaza near the Zikim crossing with Israel as aid trucks attempted to enter.
The U.N. World Food Program, which was delivering aid at the time, confirmed the incident, calling the violence against aid-seekers “completely unacceptable.”
Witness accounts allege Israeli forces fired into the crowds, while the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) maintain they fired only “warning shots” in response to a perceived threat.
Adding to the escalating crisis, the IDF issued new evacuation orders for parts of central Gaza, an area largely spared from ground operations and home to many international aid organizations. This expansion, coupled with reiterated evacuation orders for northern Gaza, further restricts access between central and southern Gaza, severely hampering aid distribution and civilian movement. The IDF directed evacuees to the Muwasi tent camp in southern Gaza, a designated humanitarian zone.
The latest violence comes amidst ongoing ceasefire talks in Qatar, which have yet to yield any breakthroughs. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has stated that increased military pressure on Hamas will strengthen Israel’s negotiating position.
The Hostages Family Forum, representing families of Israelis captured by Hamas, condemned the new evacuation orders, demanding clarity on Israel’s objectives in central Gaza. They accused the government of lacking a clear plan and ignoring the widespread desire among Israelis for an end to the conflict.
The humanitarian crisis in Gaza continues to worsen. Hospitals in Gaza City sounded a simultaneous alarm Sunday morning to highlight the growing hunger crisis.
Health officials report a surge in malnutrition deaths, particularly among children under five, since the imposition and subsequent partial easing of an Israeli blockade on aid earlier this year. These reports paint a grim picture of the dire conditions faced by Gaza’s over two million residents.