Dozens Killed in Gaza Amid Aid Scramble, Airstrikes/ Newslooks/ WASHINGTON/ J. Mansour/ Morning Edition/ At least 45 Palestinians were killed while seeking food and humanitarian aid in Gaza, amid intensified Israeli military action and airstrikes. The violence comes as Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu weighs plans for a possible full reoccupation of the territory. Global condemnation mounts over the worsening humanitarian crisis, with UN experts calling for an end to Israel’s U.S.-backed aid system.
Gaza Aid Crisis Quick Looks
- At least 45 Palestinians killed seeking aid across Gaza.
- Israeli forces reportedly opened fire near aid convoys and distribution sites.
- Netanyahu may soon announce expanded military action, possibly including Gaza reoccupation.
- Witnesses say many civilians were shot near Zikim crossing and Morag Corridor.
- Shifa and Nasser Hospitals report rising deaths from both airstrikes and starvation.
- U.N. says 1,400 Palestinians have died while trying to access aid since May.
- U.S.-backed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF) sites face criticism from UN officials.
- GHF accused of enabling displacement and militarized aid control.
- Jordan condemns settler attacks on aid convoys entering Gaza.
- Total Palestinian death toll surpasses 61,000, with 193 malnutrition-related deaths.
Deep Look
Civilians Killed in Gaza as Aid Access Turns Deadly
At least 45 Palestinians were killed in a span of 24 hours while attempting to retrieve desperately needed humanitarian aid across the Gaza Strip, health officials reported Wednesday. As food shortages deepen under Israel’s blockade and prolonged military campaign, Gaza’s residents are increasingly risking their lives for basic supplies.
The deadliest incidents occurred in the Morag Corridor, a militarized zone in southern Gaza where UN aid convoys have become flashpoints in recent days. Local hospitals confirmed that 28 people died overnight in that area, where Israeli troops allegedly opened fire on approaching crowds. The Israeli military said only warning shots were fired but claimed no knowledge of casualties.
Additional deaths occurred near sites operated by the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF)—a U.S.-funded aid group set up with Israel’s cooperation. Reports from Al-Awda and Nasser hospitals confirmed 10 fatalities near these facilities, along with 12 killed in separate airstrikes across central and southern Gaza.
The death toll comes as Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu considers expanding military operations and potentially reoccupying Gaza, a move that would risk regional escalation and further humanitarian disaster. His far-right coalition partners have long supported reasserting full Israeli control, dismantling Hamas, and reestablishing Jewish settlements in the region.
Aid Access Under Fire
Since May, aid distribution has been largely rerouted through GHF sites, which the UN has denounced as dangerous and politically motivated. These sites replaced broader humanitarian entry points after Israel blocked all incoming aid for 2.5 months. U.S. and Israeli officials claimed the change was meant to prevent Hamas from diverting resources.
But the new system has drawn sharp criticism. U.N. human rights experts last week condemned GHF as a “militarized and coercive model” that forces Palestinians to travel through hostile territory to receive food. The experts, while independent, said the arrangement breaches international law and “weaponizes humanitarian aid.”
Since May, at least 1,400 Palestinians have died attempting to access food—most reportedly shot by Israeli forces near GHF sites or UN convoys.
GHF maintains that its armed contractors have only used non-lethal measures like pepper spray and warning shots. The Israeli military claims it only fires when its forces are threatened and continues to blame Hamas for civilian casualties due to their presence in densely populated zones.
Mounting Starvation and Malnutrition
Even as aid trickles into Gaza, it is nowhere near sufficient, humanitarian agencies warn. The Gaza Health Ministry reported four more deaths from starvation in the last 24 hours, bringing the total number of malnutrition-related fatalities to 193, including 96 children, since October 2023.
At Shifa Hospital, doctors continue treating the wounded in increasingly dire conditions. The facility, once Gaza’s medical cornerstone, has been devastated by repeated airstrikes and is now critically understaffed and undersupplied.
Settler Attacks on Aid Convoys
In a separate development, Jordanian authorities said a convoy of four aid trucks was attacked by Israeli settlers after entering the occupied West Bank. Protesters reportedly smashed windshields and blocked the road. Jordan’s foreign ministry called the act a “cowardly aggression.”
The Israeli military confirmed that its forces intervened to clear the road and escorted the convoy safely to its destination. However, the incident underscores rising tensions within Israel itself over the ongoing conflict and humanitarian response.
Israel’s Offensive and the Human Cost
Israel’s war in Gaza began following the October 7, 2023, attack by Hamas, in which over 1,200 Israelis were killed and 251 abducted. Since then, Israel’s retaliatory campaign has killed more than 61,000 Palestinians, according to the Gaza Health Ministry. The Ministry, which operates under Gaza’s now-defunct Hamas-run government, is still widely seen by international groups as a credible source for casualty reporting.
Roughly 20 Israeli hostages are believed to still be alive in Gaza. Peace talks remain stalled, and President Donald Trump has largely deferred to Israeli leadership, saying any decisions about reoccupation or future offensives are “up to Israel.”
Meanwhile, international pressure is mounting, with human rights groups and UN agencies warning of an impending famine and accusing Israel of violating humanitarian norms. Aid groups on the ground have demanded safe corridors and neutral delivery zones—so far, to little effect.
As the war nears its second year, the situation in Gaza continues to deteriorate, with the lives of millions hanging in the balance.
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