DEIR EL-BALAH – The U.N. meals company accused Israel of utilizing tanks, snipers and different weapons to fireside on a crowd of Palestinians seeking food aid, in what the territory’s Well being Ministry mentioned was one of many deadliest days for aid-seekers in over 21 months of warfare.
The World Meals Program in an announcement Sunday condemned the violence that erupted in northern Gaza as Palestinians tried to succeed in a convoy of vehicles carrying meals. The Well being Ministry in Gaza mentioned no less than 80 individuals have been killed within the incident. The Israeli army has mentioned it fired warning photographs “to take away a direct menace,” however has questioned the demise toll reported by the Palestinians.
The accusation by a serious support company that has had usually good working relations with Israel builds on descriptions by witnesses and others, who additionally mentioned Israel opened hearth on the gang.
The bloodshed surrounding support entry highlights the more and more precarious state of affairs for individuals in Gaza who’ve been desperately looking for out meals and different help, because the warfare that has roiled the area exhibits no indicators of ending. Israel and Hamas are nonetheless engaged in ceasefire talks, however there seems to be no breakthrough and it isn’t clear whether or not any truce would carry the warfare to a long-lasting halt.
Because the talks proceed, the demise toll within the war-ravaged territory has climbed to greater than 58,800 Palestinians, in accordance with Gaza’s Well being Ministry. Its depend does not distinguish between militants and civilians however the ministry says greater than half of the lifeless are ladies and kids. The ministry is a part of the Hamas authorities, however the U.N. and different worldwide organizations see it as essentially the most dependable supply of information on casualties.
Israel has in the meantime widened its evacuation orders for the territory to incorporate an space that has been considerably much less hard-hit than others, indicating a brand new battleground could also be opening up and squeezing Palestinians into ever tinier stretches of Gaza.
WFP condemns violence at meals distribution factors
In northern Gaza on Sunday, the Well being Ministry, witnesses and a U.N. official mentioned Israeli forces opened hearth towards crowds who tried to get meals from a 25-truck convoy that had entered the hard-hit space.
The WFP assertion, which mentioned the gang surrounding its convoy “got here below hearth from Israeli tanks, snipers and different gunfire,” backs up these claims. The assertion didn’t specify a demise toll, saying solely the incident resulted within the lack of “numerous lives.”
“These individuals have been merely making an attempt to access food to feed themselves and their households on the point of hunger,” it mentioned, including that the incident occurred regardless of assurances from Israeli authorities that support supply would enhance. A part of these assurances, it mentioned, was that armed forces wouldn’t be current nor interact alongside support routes.
“Shootings close to humanitarian missions, convoys and meals distributions should cease instantly.”
The Israeli army declined to touch upon the WFP claims. Navy spokesperson Lt. Col. Nadav Shoshani posted on X that troopers have been instructed “don’t interact, don’t shoot,” and shared a video of troops close to a crowd of Palestinians gathering round a truck as one soldier yells repeatedly, “Don’t shoot!”
Israel has not allowed worldwide media to enter Gaza all through the warfare, and the competing claims couldn’t be independently verified.
Sunday’s incident comes as Palestinian entry to assist within the territory has been drastically diminished, and looking for that support has change into perilous. A U.S.- and Israeli-backed support system that has wrested some support supply from conventional suppliers just like the U.N. has been wracked by violence and chaos as Palestinians heading towards its support distribution sides have come below hearth. The group, the Gaza Humanitarian Basis, had mentioned that almost all of the reported violence has not occurred at its websites.
Violence rages on in Gaza
Gaza well being officers mentioned Monday no less than 13 individuals, together with two ladies and 5 youngsters, have been killed in Israeli strikes because the earlier evening.
A minimum of two individuals have been killed Monday morning when crowds of Palestinians ready for support vehicles have been shot at within the space of Netzarim hall in central Gaza, in accordance with Dr. Mohamed Abu Selmiyah, director of Shifa Hospital in Gaza metropolis the place the lifeless have been taken. He mentioned Israeli forces had opened hearth.
An Israeli strike in a single day hit a tent within the Muwasi space of Khan Younis, killing no less than 5 individuals, in accordance with the Well being Ministry. The lifeless embody two dad and mom, two of their youngsters and a relative, it mentioned.
Different strikes hit tents within the Muwasi space of Khan Younis and a residential constructing in Gaza Metropolis, in accordance with well being officers.
The Israeli army had no fast touch upon the strikes. It blames Hamas for civilian casualties as a result of the group operates from populated areas.
Hamas triggered the warfare when militants stormed into southern Israel on Oct. 7, 2023, killing round 1,200 individuals and taking 251 others hostage. Fifty stay in Gaza, however fewer than half are regarded as alive.
Israel once more struck rebels in Yemen
The combating in Gaza has triggered conflicts elsewhere in area, together with between Israel and the Iranian-backed Houthi rebels in Yemen, who’ve fired missiles and drones at Israel in what they are saying is in solidarity with Palestinians.
The Israeli army mentioned it struck the Hodeidah port in Yemen on Monday morning, saying that the Houthis have been rebuilding the port infrastructure. Israel mentioned the Houthis used the port to obtain weapons from Iran and launch missiles in direction of Israel. The Israeli army mentioned it focused the elements of the port utilized by the Houthis and accused the Houthis of utilizing civilian infrastructure for militant functions.
Israeli Protection Minister Israel Katz mentioned that the targets included areas of the port that Israel had destroyed in earlier strikes. “The Houthis can pay heavy costs for launching missiles in direction of the state of Israel,” Katz mentioned. Israel final struck Hodeidah port two weeks ago.
___
Magdy reported from Cairo and Lidman from Jerusalem.
___
Comply with AP’s warfare protection at https://apnews.com/hub/israel-hamas-war
Copyright 2025 The Related Press. All rights reserved. This materials is probably not printed, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed with out permission.
