Israeli Fire Claims Lives as Palestinians Seek Food in Gaza

Hospitals in Gaza reported the deaths of at least 18 people due to Israeli fire on Saturday, as residents faced grave dangers while searching for food amid ongoing military operations and severe restrictions on aid delivery. Among the victims, eight individuals were reportedly seeking food when they were killed.

Yahia Youssef, who arrived at a site run by the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF) to seek assistance, described a chaotic scene. After helping to carry three wounded individuals, he observed many others lying on the ground, injured and bleeding. “It’s the same daily episode,” Mr. Youssef stated, highlighting the persistent violence faced by those in need.

In response to inquiries regarding multiple accounts of violence near their sites, the GHF media office asserted that “nothing [happened] at or near our sites.” This incident follows a recent visit by US officials, including Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee, who praised GHF’s distribution efforts as “an incredible feat.”

As violence escalates, international condemnation has intensified, particularly concerning the dangers faced by those trying to access food and aid. Abed Salah, a resident who was near the GHF site close to the Netzarim corridor, recounted, “We weren’t close to them [the troops] and there was no threat. I escaped death miraculously.”

The humanitarian crisis in Gaza has been exacerbated by Israel’s nearly 22-month military offensive against Hamas, which has severely disrupted security and made it increasingly difficult to deliver food safely to the population of approximately two million Palestinians. Recent data from a United Nations report revealed that from May 27 to July 31, 859 individuals were killed near GHF sites, with many more fatalities along food convoy routes.

According to health officials, the Israeli airstrikes and gunfire on Saturday resulted in the deaths of at least 18 Palestinians. Among these were three individuals whose bodies were transported from the vicinity of a distribution site to a central Gaza hospital, along with 36 others who sustained injuries. Nasser Hospital reported receiving five bodies from two separate strikes on tents that were sheltering displaced persons. The deceased included two brothers and a relative who were killed when a strike hit their tent in Khan Younis.

In the context of ongoing hostilities, families of Israeli hostages demonstrated in Tel Aviv, urging the government to take stronger measures for the release of their loved ones. This protest coincided with a visit from Steve Witkoff, the special envoy for US President Donald Trump, who had recently returned from Gaza. Witkoff emphasized Hamas’s unwillingness to negotiate and expressed his commitment to exploring alternative methods for securing the release of hostages and ensuring safety in Gaza.

The conflict escalated on October 7, 2023, when Hamas launched an attack on southern Israel, resulting in around 1,200 fatalities, primarily among civilians. In retaliation, Israel’s military actions have reportedly killed more than 60,000 Palestinians, according to Gaza’s health ministry, which operates under Hamas governance and does not differentiate between combatants and civilians. International organizations, including the UN, consider the ministry a credible source of casualty data.

As the situation continues to develop, the humanitarian crisis in Gaza remains dire, with food shortages and violence compounding the suffering of the civilian population.