Gaza Aid Crisis Deepens as Israeli Gunfire Kills 25 Civilians Seeking Food/ Newslooks/ WASHINGTON/ J. Mansour/ Morning Edition/ At least 25 Palestinians were killed overnight by Israeli gunfire and airstrikes, including many who were attempting to access food near the Zikim aid crossing. As ceasefire negotiations stall and famine spreads, civilians—especially children—face rising mortality. The humanitarian situation in Gaza continues to deteriorate despite mounting international pressure.
Gaza Civilian Deaths + Quick Looks
- 25 Palestinians killed near aid site and in Israeli airstrikes overnight
- Majority shot near Zikim crossing while waiting for food, say hospital sources
- Israel has not responded to requests for comment on the shootings
- Four more killed in an apartment bombing in Gaza City
- Ceasefire talks stalled after U.S. and Israeli teams pulled from negotiations
- UN confirms famine-like conditions, children now dying of starvation
- Israel says 250 aid trucks entered Gaza this week, far below March levels
- Airdrops authorized by Israel and Jordan, but UN warns of risks and inefficiency
- Over 1,000 Palestinians killed since May while seeking food, says UN
Deep Look
25 Killed in Gaza as Israeli Strikes Target Civilians Desperate for Aid
DEIR AL-BALAH, Gaza Strip — A new wave of tragedy has struck Gaza as Israeli gunfire and airstrikes killed at least 25 Palestinians overnight, many of whom were seeking food near an aid crossing, according to Palestinian health officials and emergency responders.
The majority of victims were gunned down near the Zikim crossing, a site now infamous for deadly aid-related chaos. Staff at Shifa Hospital, where the bodies were taken, confirmed that most of the deceased were trying to reach aid trucks when the violence erupted.
No Comment from Israel, But Witnesses Describe Chaos
The Israeli military has not issued a response to the latest deadly incident.
One witness, Sherif Abu Aisha, described the panic. People had run toward what they believed were arriving aid trucks, only to realize the lights were from Israeli tanks. That’s when soldiers opened fire, he said. Abu Aisha lost his uncle, a father of eight.
“We went because there is no food… and nothing was distributed,” he told the Associated Press.
Four More Killed in Gaza City Apartment Bombing
Alongside the gunfire near Zikim, four more people were reported killed in an airstrike targeting an apartment building in Gaza City, adding to the grim toll from overnight violence.
This latest bloodshed comes as ceasefire talks remain frozen, with both U.S. and Israeli negotiators recalled from Qatar earlier this week. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu signaled that “alternative options” were being considered, while a Hamas official called the withdrawal a negotiating ploy, claiming talks could resume soon.
Mediators Egypt and Qatar have said the pause in talks is temporary, but offered no timeline for resumption.
Children Now Starving to Death
The United Nations and humanitarian experts warn Gaza is entering famine, with over 122 reported starvation deaths in recent weeks. Even previously healthy children are now succumbing to hunger.
Israel insists it has no limit on aid trucks entering Gaza, claiming over 250 trucks were allowed in this week. However, that figure is a sharp drop from the 600 daily trucks during the March ceasefire. The UN says Israeli military restrictions and the absence of security—due to airstrikes targeting the Hamas-run police—make effective aid delivery nearly impossible.
International Outcry Grows
Over 100 aid organizations and human rights groups, alongside more than two dozen Western-aligned nations, have condemned Israel’s blockade and deadly aid delivery model, which outsources distribution to a private U.S. contractor rather than international agencies.
The UN human rights office reports over 1,000 Palestinians have been killed since May while trying to access food, mostly near new aid distribution centers set up under this model.
Charity workers report even their own teams struggle to find food amid the crisis.
Airdrops Approved, But Risks Remain
Israel, for the first time in months, has agreed to permit humanitarian airdrops, after a request from neighboring Jordan. A Jordanian official said the drops would include milk formula and basic food supplies.
UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer also announced that Britain will coordinate airdrops and medical evacuations for children in partnership with Jordan and other nations.
But not everyone is celebrating the move. UNRWA chief Philippe Lazzarini cautioned via social media that airdrops are “expensive, inefficient and can even kill starving civilians,” stressing that air-based aid cannot replace ground delivery efforts.
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