Gaza’s civil defense agency reports that Israeli forces opened fire on crowds of Palestinians seeking humanitarian aid on Sunday, resulting in 93 deaths and dozens of injuries.
According to agency spokesperson Mahmud Basal, the majority of the fatalities occurred in the north where 80 people were killed as truckloads of aid arrived. In the south, nine individuals were reported killed near an aid point close to Rafah, and four others near Khan Yunis.
The United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) stated that its convoy of 25 trucks carrying food aid encountered massive crowds of hungry civilians near Gaza City, which came under gunfire shortly after crossing from Israel and clearing checkpoints.
Israel’s military disputed the reported death toll, asserting that soldiers fired warning shots to address an “immediate threat” as thousands gathered near Gaza City.
Humanitarian Crisis Deepens
The WFP condemned the violence against civilians seeking aid as “completely unacceptable.” The agency emphasized the dire humanitarian situation in Gaza, where essential services have collapsed.
The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) highlighted that 87.8 percent of Gaza is now under displacement orders or within militarized zones, leaving over two million civilians confined to a fragmented 12 percent of the Strip.
Concerns Over Evacuation Orders
On Sunday morning, the Israeli military instructed residents and displaced Palestinians in the Deir el-Balah area to move south immediately due to imminent operations. The OCHA described the displacement order as “another devastating blow to the already fragile lifelines keeping people alive across the Gaza Strip.”
Families of hostages held since October 7 expressed concern that the intensified military offensive could jeopardize their loved ones. Indirect talks between delegations from Israel and Hamas have been ongoing, focusing on a proposed 60-day ceasefire in Gaza and the release of 10 hostages.
Diplomatic Tensions Escalate
Israel withdrew the residency permit of Jonathan Whittall, head of the OCHA office in Israel, who has repeatedly condemned the humanitarian conditions in Gaza. Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar accused him of spreading misinformation about the conflict.
The United Nations has reported that nearly 800 aid-seekers have been killed since late May, including on aid convoy routes. Gaza health authorities report approximately 995 deaths amid the escalating conflict.
