At least 67 Palestinians were reportedly killed by Israeli forces while waiting for aid trucks in northern Gaza, according to the Hamas-run health ministry. The UN World Food Programme confirmed that its 25-truck convoy was met by massive crowds of starving civilians who came under gunfire shortly after crossing from Israel.
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) claimed it had only fired warning shots in response to an “immediate threat” and disputed the reported death toll. Meanwhile, the humanitarian situation has worsened, with the Gaza health ministry reporting 18 deaths from famine in a single day.
Overwhelmed Hospitals, Mounting Hunger, and Deadly Attacks Deepen Gaza’s Humanitarian Catastrophe
Hospitals such as Shifa in Gaza City have been overwhelmed by the influx of casualties. The medical director described the dire situation, while civilians outside the hospital voiced despair over the widespread hunger and suffering.
Many people, especially children, are reportedly surviving on nothing but water and salt. The UN and World Food Programme warned of skyrocketing malnutrition, with 90,000 women and children in urgent need of treatment. The WFP described the violence against aid-seeking civilians as “completely unacceptable.”
Sunday saw further bloodshed, with Gaza’s civil defense agency reporting a total of 93 people killed by Israeli fire across the strip, including 80 in the north. Witnesses described chaos and panic as Israeli tanks fired randomly and snipers shot at civilians.
Many of these deadly incidents occurred near aid sites, including some operated by the controversial Gaza Humanitarian Foundation, which uses private security in military zones. There have been near-daily fatalities among people seeking food since late May, underscoring the dangers of accessing humanitarian assistance in the war zone.
Evacuation Orders Spark Panic as Violence Escalates in Densely Populated Gaza Region
In a concerning development, the Israeli military issued evacuation orders in Deir al-Balah, a central Gaza city not previously targeted by ground operations. Leaflets were dropped urging residents and displaced persons to move to al-Mawasi. The order triggered panic among tens of thousands of Palestinians and raised fears among families of Israeli hostages, as Deir al-Balah is suspected of housing captives.
While airstrikes have already occurred in the area, ground forces have yet to be deployed. The city’s densely populated neighborhoods are filled with people living in tents, making evacuation and survival increasingly difficult.
International voices, including Pope Leo XIV, have condemned the escalating violence. The Pope called for an immediate end to the “barbarity of the war” and criticized the indiscriminate use of force, days after an Israeli strike hit Gaza’s only Catholic Church.
The conflict began following Hamas’s attack on Israel on October 7, 2023, which killed 1,200 people and led to 251 hostages. Since then, over 58,895 people have been killed in Gaza, according to the health ministry, whose statistics are widely cited by the UN as the most reliable in the absence of independent verification.
