Gaza’s civil defence agency reported that Israeli forces opened fire on large groups of Palestinians trying to receive humanitarian aid on Sunday. The attacks left 93 people dead and many others injured in different areas of the territory.
According to the agency’s spokesperson, Mahmud Basal, the deadliest incident occurred in the north where 80 people were killed as trucks carrying aid arrived. In southern Gaza, nine people were shot near an aid distribution site close to Rafah, where dozens had already died the previous day. Another four individuals were killed near Khan Yunis, also in the south.
The UN World Food Programme (WFP) confirmed that one of its aid convoys—carrying 25 trucks of food—was caught in the violence. It stated the trucks had just entered Gaza and passed Israeli checkpoints when they "encountered massive crowds of hungry civilians which came under gunfire" near Gaza City.
The Israeli army denied the reported death toll. It said soldiers only fired warning shots to respond to what they described as an "immediate threat" from the crowd.
However, such incidents have become frequent. As food and basic supplies continue to run out, thousands of desperate people gather at aid sites, often putting themselves at risk. Gaza officials have repeatedly blamed Israeli gunfire for these deaths.
Earlier this month, the United Nations revealed that nearly 800 Palestinians seeking aid have been killed since late May, including many who were attacked while approaching aid convoys.
In Gaza City, Qasem Abu Khater, 36, told AFP that he had tried to get a bag of flour but was met by a huge, chaotic crowd. He described “deadly overcrowding and pushing.” He added, “The tanks were firing shells randomly at us and Israeli sniper soldiers were shooting as if they were hunting animals in a forest.” He recalled seeing “dozens of people martyred right before my eyes,” adding that “no one could save anyone.” The World Food Programme condemned the violence, calling attacks on civilians seeking aid “completely unacceptable.” Due to limited media access and movement restrictions in Gaza, AFP said it cannot independently verify the exact tolls.
The Israeli military has claimed it makes efforts to protect civilians. Officials stated that soldiers recently received updated guidelines after several past incidents led to civilian casualties.
Israel on Sunday cancelled the residency permit of Jonathan Whittall, the head of the UN’s humanitarian coordination office (OCHA) in Israel. Whittall has been outspoken about Gaza's worsening humanitarian crisis.
Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar accused him on X (formerly Twitter) of “spreading lies” about the conflict.
The war began on October 7, 2023, when Hamas launched an attack that killed 1,219 people, most of them civilians, according to AFP's count using official sources.
Israel responded with a massive military campaign. According to the Hamas-run health ministry, this offensive has now killed 58,895 Palestinians, most of them civilians.
After an Israeli strike hit Gaza’s Holy Family Catholic Church, killing three people, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu expressed regret to Pope Leo XIV, saying it was caused by a “stray” munition.
On Sunday, following his Angelus prayer, the Pope denounced the war’s “barbarity” and called for peace. He criticized the ongoing Israeli attacks on civilians and places of worship.
In a rare act, the Catholic Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem, Pierbattista Pizzaballa, visited Gaza on Friday and later held Mass at the damaged church.
Most of Gaza’s 2 million residents have already been displaced at least once during the conflict. On Sunday, the Israeli military ordered those in Deir el-Balah, in central Gaza, to evacuate immediately, warning of upcoming operations.
Witnesses saw families piling their few belongings onto donkey carts, heading south with no idea where they would find safety.
“They threw leaflets at us and we don’t know where we are going and we don’t have shelter or anything,” a man told AFP.
The UN's OCHA said the latest evacuation orders are “another devastating blow” to civilians who already face severe food, water, and shelter shortages. It reported that nearly 88% of Gaza is now either under evacuation orders or part of Israeli military zones. This means 2.1 million people are trapped in just 12% of the territory, where basic services have collapsed.
The latest Israeli announcement has caused concern among families of hostages still held in Gaza since October 7. They fear the expanding military operation might endanger their loved ones.
Indirect negotiations have been ongoing between Israel and Hamas for the past two weeks. Talks focus on a 60-day ceasefire and the release of 10 living hostages.
Out of the 251 hostages taken during the October attack, 49 remain in Gaza. The Israeli military believes 27 of them are dead.
