At least 31 Palestinians were killed and more than 145 injured Tuesday while trying to access the limited humanitarian aid that Israel is allowing into the Gaza Strip, where the population is facing a growing food crisis. This was reported by medical sources cited by the Spanish news agency EFE, in a context where the corridors designated for the entry of supplies are experiencing high levels of violence.
Near the Zikim military post, the only currently operational border crossing in northern Gaza for the entry of aid trucks, Israeli forces fired on a crowd of people waiting to receive aid. A dozen Palestinians were killed in that incident, according to accounts gathered.
Another attack was reported near the Netzarim corridor in the central Gaza Strip, where Israel used a drone to target a group of civilians waiting for the arrival of supply vehicles. Al Quds Hospital reported one death and more than 20 were injured. The situation worsened at various militarized distribution points run by the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF), an organization backed by Israel and the United States but widely criticized by the United Nations. Thirteen of Tuesday's deaths were recorded at a GHF aid center south of Wadi Gaza and another seven in the south, in Rafah.
Since the start of GHF operations in late May, the Gaza Ministry of Health has recorded 1,179 deaths and 7,957 injuries in incidents linked to aid collections and associated with Israeli military fire. Famine-related deaths are on the rise, according to local health authorities, who attribute the critical situation to the strict restrictions imposed by Israel on the entry of food and medicine.
Adding to the humanitarian emergency were new episodes of violence. The Gaza Civil Defense reported 30 deaths, including 12 children, in recent nighttime bombings of the Nuseirat refugee camp in the center of the enclave. First-hand accounts described scenes of home destruction and a large number of families affected by the conflict.
UN humanitarian agencies renewed their call Tuesday for an urgent and sustained increase in aid to Gaza, arguing that the region faces a risk of mass starvation. World Food Programme Director Cindy McCain stressed the need to provide"food on a large scale, immediately, and without hindrance." Organizations such as UNICEF and FAO backed the call.
The latest report from the United Nations-backed Integrated Food Security Classification (IPC) said the crisis has reached an “alarming and deadly point.” More than 20,000 children have been treated for acute malnutrition between April and mid-July in Gaza , and hospitals reported at least 16 deaths of children under five in less than two weeks.
While Israel has announced a temporary cessation of fighting and some easing of the entry of aid trucks, humanitarian agencies believe the current measures are insufficient to meet the needs of the population, which has been subjected to a total blockade for nearly two months. Among recent international actions, airdrops of food supplies were carried out on Tuesday, and the United Kingdom announced the dispatch of additional aid shipments.
On the diplomatic front, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer declared that the United Kingdom will recognize the State of Palestine in September if the Israeli government does not implement concrete measures to improve the situation in Gaza, such as agreeing to a ceasefire and allowing the UN to resume aid supplies. Starmer insisted that this recognition seeks to contribute to the prospect of a two-state solution. France also announced that it will support recognition of Palestine at the UN General Assembly.
Meanwhile, the Israeli government maintains its position, blaming the Palestinian terrorist group Hamas for the humanitarian crisis, accusing it of looting aid and manipulating casualty figures. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office said Hamas is firing on Palestinians seeking aid, worsening access to food.
The war in Gaza began after the Hamas attack on October 7, 2023, which left 1,219 dead in Israel, mostly civilians. Since then, the Israeli offensive has caused more than 60,000 deaths in Gaza, also mostly civilians, according to data from the enclave's Ministry of Health, figures validated by the UN. Meanwhile, Israel rejects international pressure for a ceasefire, calling it a"distorted campaign."
