Israeli Forces Kill at Least 60 Palestinians Seeking Food Aid in Gaza
Palestinian health officials reported that Israeli forces killed at least 60 individuals on Wednesday in Gaza, many of whom were approaching food aid centers. The casualties occurred as people gathered near a distribution point managed by a local humanitarian organization in central Gaza.
Medical sources confirmed that at least 25 fatalities and numerous injuries were recorded when people came close to one of the food distribution centers near Netzarim. Later in the day, another incident near a distribution site in Rafah resulted in the death of at least 14 people as they were moving toward the aid station along Gaza’s southern border. The previous day saw further casualties near similar humanitarian sites.
These events coincided with the recovery of remains belonging to two Israeli hostages from Gaza by the military and security services. Among them was a 59-year-old father abducted during a 2023 attack that sparked widespread violence, while the identity of the second hostage remains unconfirmed. Authorities estimate that roughly 53 Israeli hostages are still held in Gaza, although most are believed to have perished.
Local health authorities, whose casualty figures are widely accepted by international organizations, announced that over the 20 months of conflict the Palestinian death toll has now surpassed 55,000. This grim milestone comes as attention increases on the safety of food distribution operations in an area where even access to basic sustenance is becoming a lethal endeavor.
Critics have raised serious concerns about the use of food aid sites amid ongoing military operations. A legal advocacy group based in New York warned that the humanitarian organization responsible for the food distribution could face significant legal challenges for its role in what some describe as war crimes and forced displacement practices. The group argued that portraying access to food as adequate should not come at the cost of exposing civilians to extreme danger.
International observers have noted that the militarization of food aid—where distribution sites are heavily guarded in active combat zones—places vulnerable populations at greater risk. Some former leaders associated with the organization have resigned, decrying the departure from essential humanitarian principles, and a US consulting firm that once supported the operation has withdrawn its involvement.
Amid these developments, the Israeli military stated that its troops fired warning shots toward a group deemed to pose a threat in the area, despite clear indications that the zone was highly volatile. Meanwhile, the humanitarian organization emphasized that it continues to coordinate closely with authorities to maintain safe passage routes, even as the current levels of food supplies remain insufficient.
Adding to the tensions, human rights groups have reported that some activists detained during recent protests on ships in the Mediterranean are being held in solitary confinement under harsh conditions. One detainee, noted for his hunger and thirst strike, is confined to an isolated cell, while another activist was temporarily isolated after displaying slogans in support of Palestinian liberation.
These incidents mark another deeply troubling chapter in the ongoing hostilities between Israel and Gaza, as humanitarian challenges and legal battles intensify against a backdrop of escalating conflict and suffering among civilians.
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