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Palestinian Arabs

Gaza Crisis Deepens as Israeli Fire Kills 39, 100 Wounded in Aid Centre Deaths

Strategic Insights

— 2 min read

Palestinians seeking food in Gaza have been caught in the crossfire, with Israeli fire killing 39 people and wounding more than 100 near two aid centres. The US- and Israel-backed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF) has accused militant group Hamas of fomenting unrest and shooting at civilians. The conflict has created dire humanitarian conditions, with nearly one in three people in Gaza not eating for days at a stretch and thousands on the verge of catastrophic hunger. The UN agency for Palestinian refugees, UNRWA, has enough food for all of Gaza for more than three months, but it is stockpiled in warehouses and blocked from being delivered.

Key Takeaways:

  • 39 people were killed and over 100 wounded in Israeli fire near two aid centres in Gaza.
  • The Gaza Civil Defence Agency attributed the fatalities to "Israeli gunfire".
  • Witnesses claimed Israeli soldiers opened fire on crowds seeking food, with one witness stating "Every day I go there and all we get is bullets and exhaustion instead of food."
  • The Israeli military claimed it fired warning shots after identifying "suspects" approaching them during operational activity in the Rafah area.
  • The Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF) has accused Hamas of fomenting unrest and shooting at civilians.
  • Nearly one in three people in Gaza are not eating for days at a stretch, and thousands are on the verge of catastrophic hunger.
  • The UN agency for Palestinian refugees, UNRWA, has enough food for all of Gaza for more than three months, but it is stockpiled in warehouses and blocked from being delivered.
  • The conflict has created dire humanitarian conditions, with doctors and aid agencies reporting the physical and mental health effects of 21 months of war.
  • The US- and Israel-backed GHF has taken over the running of aid distribution in Gaza, under criticism from the United Nations.

Statistics:

  • 39 deaths in Israeli fire near aid centres in Gaza.
  • Over 100 wounded in Israeli fire near aid centres in Gaza.
  • 1,219 people killed in Hamas's 2023 attack on Israel, with most being civilians.
  • 58,765 Palestinians killed in Israel's retaliatory military action, with most being civilians.
  • Nearly 1 in 3 people in Gaza not eating for days at a stretch.
  • Thousands on the verge of catastrophic hunger in Gaza.
  • 3,000+ people killed in Gaza since 2023, with 2/3 being civilians.

Sources:

  • BSS (Bangladesh's official news agency):

"The deaths happened near a site southwest of Khan Yunis and another centre northwest of Rafah, both in southern Gaza, attributing the fatalities to "Israeli gunfire"."

  • AFP (Agence France-Presse):

"My relatives and I were unable to get anything," Abdul Aziz Abed, 37, told AFP. "Every day I go there and all we get is bullets and exhaustion instead of food."

  • Israeli Military:

"The incident is under review. The shots were fired approximately one kilometre (more than half a mile) away from the aid distribution site at nighttime when it's not active."

  • GHF (Gaza Humanitarian Foundation):

"Reports of deaths near our sites are false. We have repeatedly warned aid-seekers not to travel to our sites overnight and early morning hours."

  • World Food Programme:

"Nearly one in three people in Gaza were not eating for days at a stretch."

  • UNRWA (United Nations Agency for Palestinian Refugees):

"We have enough food for all of Gaza for more than three months, but it is stockpiled in warehouses and blocked from being delivered."

  • AFP (Agence France-Presse):

"Hamas's 2023 attack on Israel led to the deaths of 1,219 people, most of them civilians."

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