Israeli Airstrikes Kill 82 Palestinians in Gaza as Aid Stalls/ Newslooks/ WASHINGTON/ J. Mansour/ Morning Edition/ Israeli airstrikes killed at least 82 Palestinians on Wednesday, including a newborn, as Gaza aid remains stalled. UN officials say no humanitarian supplies have been distributed despite border access. International criticism mounts as ceasefire negotiations collapse.
Gaza Crisis: Quick Looks
- 82 Palestinians killed, including a newborn, in fresh Israeli airstrikes.
- Aid shipments stuck at Kerem Shalom; UN trucks not collected.
- Israeli police stopped protesters trying to block Gaza-bound aid.
- Diplomats came under fire during visit to Jenin refugee camp.
- Israel claims Hamas militants are operating from civilian areas.
- Ceasefire talks falter as Israel withdraws top negotiators from Doha.
- UK suspends trade talks with Israel over Gaza military actions.
- EU reviewing trade pacts with Israel; pressure from Canada, France.
- Palestinian President Abbas calls siege a “war of extermination.”
- More than 53,000 Palestinians killed since war began, Gaza says.
Deep Look: Israeli Strikes Kill Dozens as Aid Efforts Collapse in Gaza
DEIR AL-BALAH, Gaza — May 21, 2025 — A new wave of Israeli airstrikes killed at least 82 Palestinians on Wednesday, including multiple women and a week-old infant, as Israel pressed forward with its military campaign in Gaza. The intensifying bombardment comes even as desperately needed aid convoys remain bottlenecked at the border, raising fears of worsening famine and humanitarian collapse.
Despite dozens of trucks entering Gaza from Israel on Tuesday, none of the aid reached Palestinians, according to U.N. officials. Aid workers were unable to transport goods into Gaza due to Israeli-imposed logistical hurdles, including demands to reload shipments into new trucks.
“We ran out of time to distribute anything,” said U.N. spokesperson Stéphane Dujarric.
Aid Blocked Despite Border Access
Jens Laerke, spokesperson for the U.N. humanitarian office, confirmed that no aid trucks had been picked up from the Gaza side of the Kerem Shalom crossing. On Wednesday morning, Israeli officials said new shipments were entering, but it remained unclear whether they could be moved for distribution.
Adding to the chaos, Israeli protesters attempted to block the aid trucks, opposing humanitarian deliveries while Israeli hostages remain in Gaza. Police eventually dispersed the crowd.
Gunfire Hits Diplomats in West Bank
In a separate incident, gunfire erupted near a delegation of diplomats visiting the Jenin refugee camp in the Israeli-occupied West Bank. The group, which included European and regional officials, was on an official tour to assess the humanitarian situation when the shots rang out.
No injuries were reported, but the Israeli military acknowledged its troops fired “warning shots” after the group “deviated from their approved route.” The IDF has promised to contact the diplomats’ home governments to clarify the incident.
Ceasefire Talks Collapse
As the humanitarian crisis deepens, peace negotiations have faltered. Israel withdrew its senior negotiators from talks in Doha, Qatar, leaving only lower-level staff. Qatari officials said that the gap between Israeli and Hamas positions remains wide.
Israel insists on complete disarmament and exile of Hamas, while Hamas demands a full Israeli withdrawal and end to the war in exchange for the release of remaining hostages.
Strikes Expand, Death Toll Rises
Israel’s military campaign shows no signs of slowing. In Khan Younis, where residents were recently ordered to evacuate ahead of an anticipated ground operation, 24 people died, including 14 from a single family. Another strike in central Gaza killed a newborn baby.
The Israeli military has not commented on the individual attacks, but has repeatedly stated that it is targeting Hamas infrastructure embedded in densely populated civilian areas.
Growing Global Backlash
Global criticism of Israel’s offensive continues to grow. The United Kingdom suspended trade talks with Israel, while France and Canada issued joint warnings of further diplomatic action if the war is not halted. European Union foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas said the bloc is reviewing existing trade agreements in response to Israel’s actions in Gaza.
Abbas Demands Global Action
From Beirut, Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas issued an emotional appeal for world leaders to “break the siege on our people.” He urged immediate humanitarian access and called the war “a war of extermination.”
“We will not leave. We remain here, in the land of Palestine,” Abbas said in a written statement.
Casualties and the Bigger Picture
The Gaza war began on October 7, 2023, when Hamas-led militants attacked southern Israel, killing approximately 1,200 people and taking 251 hostages. Since then, Israel’s retaliatory operations have killed more than 53,000 Palestinians, according to the Gaza Health Ministry. Most of the victims are women and children, although the count does not distinguish between civilians and militants.
Of the 251 hostages, 58 remain in captivity, with a third believed to be alive.
You must Register or Login to post a comment.