Aid delivery tragedy in Gaza: Over 100 killed, death toll surpasses 30,000
In a tragic incident near Gaza City, over 100 Palestinians were killed while awaiting an aid delivery, with Palestinian health authorities attributing the deaths to Israeli forces.
The death toll from nearly five months of conflict now exceeds 30,000, according to Palestinian officials. The incident, which also left more than 280 wounded, marks one of the most significant losses of civilian life in recent weeks and threatens to derail ceasefire talks in Qatar.
Israeli officials, however, argue that the casualties were caused by the crowd itself, either being trampled or run over around the aid trucks. The Israeli military insists that the trucks, part of an aid operation it was overseeing, were not targeted in any IDF strike. Instead, they claim that the chaos ensued from the crowd's actions and an isolated incident where troops fired in response to perceived threats.
The White House and international bodies, including the French foreign ministry, have expressed urgent concern over the incident, which has drawn widespread condemnation. Hamas has vehemently rejected the Israeli account, citing evidence and witness testimonies of direct fire on civilians.
As aid attempts to northern Gaza face obstacles and accusations of restrictions by Israel, the international community grapples with the escalating humanitarian crisis. The U.N. has reported significant challenges in delivering aid to Gaza, with supplies halving since January amidst the ongoing conflict.
