
Gaza aid convoy struck: Israel kills 20 Palestinians
Shafaq News/ At least 20 Palestinians were killed and over 200 injured—50 critically—after Israeli forces struck a crowd waiting for humanitarian aid in Gaza, the Health Ministry reported on Monday.
Victims were transported to the Red Cross Field Hospital in al-Mawasi, Khan Younis, which also came under Israeli fire, endangering both patients and medical staff. The ministry condemned the strike as a deliberate attack on civilians and medical infrastructure.
It called for the immediate reopening of the European Gaza Hospital, warning that existing facilities are overwhelmed. The ministry also urged international agencies to implement safer aid distribution, noting that large gatherings remain frequent targets.
Since the war began on October 7, 2023, Israeli operations have killed 55,362 Palestinians—mostly women and children—and injured over 128,741, according to the ministry.
Meanwhile, Israeli forces reimposed a communications blackout across central and southern Gaza, just two days after limited service was restored.
The Palestinian Telecommunications Company reported a full shutdown of internet and landline networks following fresh Israeli strikes on key infrastructure, while the Telecommunications Regulatory Authority said it is working with providers to secure repair access.
Gaza's Government Media Office blamed the blackout on a deliberate attempt to 'cut Gaza off from the world, silence truth, and block emergency calls for help.' Officials warned that the outage has paralyzed ambulance dispatch and left wounded civilians unreachable.
Notably, this marks at least the 17th communications outage since the war began, severely disrupting hospital operations, emergency response, and civil defense coordination.

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Iraqi News
11 hours ago
- Iraqi News
Gaza rescuers say Israeli fire kills 20 waiting for aid
Gaza City – Gaza's civil defence agency said Israeli troops killed 20 people waiting to collect food on Monday, in the latest deadly incident near a US-backed aid centre in the Palestinian territory's south. Civil defence spokesman Mahmud Bassal told AFP that 'the (Israeli) occupation forces opened fire' near the Al-Alam roundabout in the southern city of Rafah, where many were waiting to reach an aid distribution site. Bassal said that '20 martyrs and more than 200 wounded by occupation gunfire' were taken to nearby hospitals. Ahmed al-Farra, head of the paediatric department at Nasser Hospital in the nearby city of Khan Yunis, told AFP that people 'are hungry, they didn't get any food since nearly four months ago'. In early March, Israel imposed a total aid blockade on the Gaza Strip amid an impasse in truce negotiations, only partially easing restrictions in late May. 'All the borders are closed and this is the only way to get aid,' Farra said of US- and Israel-backed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF) sites. 'And when they get there they are killed by snipers, as you can see.' Contacted by AFP, the Israeli military said it was looking into the reports. The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) said it had received 200 people at its field hospital in the Al-Mawasi area near Rafah, without elaborating on the circumstances. In a statement on X, it said it was 'the highest number received by the Red Cross Field Hospital in one mass casualty incident'. Red Cross teams also treated 170 patients at the hospital on Sunday, 'many of whom were wounded by gunshots, and who reported that they were trying to access a food distribution site', the statement said. Israel has faced mounting international pressure over humanitarian conditions in Gaza, which the United Nations described in May as 'the hungriest place on Earth'. The GHF began distributing aid in late May, but its operations have been marred by chaotic scenes and dozens of deaths. The UN and major aid groups have refused to cooperate with the organisation citing neutrality issues they say violate humanitarian principles. – 'Intense hostilities' – Following previous incidents around GHF sites, the Israeli military has said its troops fired warning shots and were reacting to people approaching them in a way they considered threatening. Israeli restrictions on media in the Gaza Strip and other difficulties in accessing some areas mean AFP is unable to independently verify the tolls and details provided by the civil defence agency. The ICRC said in its statement that 'civilians continue to be killed and injured as intense hostilities continue. Due to the ongoing restrictions of humanitarian assistance, people are also struggling to access basic goods, including fuel'. The health ministry in Hamas-run Gaza said at least 55,432 people have been killed in the territory since the start of the war, which is now in its 21st month. Of those, 5,139 have been killed since Israel resumed its offensive on March 18 following a truce. The war was triggered by an unprecedented Hamas attack on Israel on October 7, 2023, which resulted in the deaths of 1,219 people, according to official Israeli figures.


Shafaq News
20 hours ago
- Shafaq News
Gaza aid convoy struck: Israel kills 20 Palestinians
Shafaq News/ At least 20 Palestinians were killed and over 200 injured—50 critically—after Israeli forces struck a crowd waiting for humanitarian aid in Gaza, the Health Ministry reported on Monday. Victims were transported to the Red Cross Field Hospital in al-Mawasi, Khan Younis, which also came under Israeli fire, endangering both patients and medical staff. The ministry condemned the strike as a deliberate attack on civilians and medical infrastructure. It called for the immediate reopening of the European Gaza Hospital, warning that existing facilities are overwhelmed. The ministry also urged international agencies to implement safer aid distribution, noting that large gatherings remain frequent targets. Since the war began on October 7, 2023, Israeli operations have killed 55,362 Palestinians—mostly women and children—and injured over 128,741, according to the ministry. Meanwhile, Israeli forces reimposed a communications blackout across central and southern Gaza, just two days after limited service was restored. The Palestinian Telecommunications Company reported a full shutdown of internet and landline networks following fresh Israeli strikes on key infrastructure, while the Telecommunications Regulatory Authority said it is working with providers to secure repair access. Gaza's Government Media Office blamed the blackout on a deliberate attempt to 'cut Gaza off from the world, silence truth, and block emergency calls for help.' Officials warned that the outage has paralyzed ambulance dispatch and left wounded civilians unreachable. Notably, this marks at least the 17th communications outage since the war began, severely disrupting hospital operations, emergency response, and civil defense coordination.


Shafaq News
3 days ago
- Shafaq News
Iraq ramps up radiation monitoring after Israeli strikes
Shafaq News/ On Saturday, Iraq's nuclear regulatory agency intensified radiation surveillance after Israel's airstrikes targeted Iran's Natanz nuclear complex. Spokesperson Ahmed Khudair confirmed that emergency protocols were activated immediately. 'No abnormal radiation has been recorded so far—readings remain within natural limits,' he stated. The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) also confirmed that no external contamination had been detected from the Iranian sites. Iran's Atomic Energy Organization, however, acknowledged internal contamination at Natanz but ruled out environmental danger, reporting limited damage to Fordow nuclear site, and stating that sensitive equipment had been moved prior to the strike. A senior official from Iraq's Environment Ministry told Shafaq News that specialized teams have been deployed and remain in contact with neighboring countries and the IAEA, emphasizing that radiation leaks are only likely if the targeted reactor was active at the time of impact. However, environmental expert Iqbal Laith warned that radioactive material could spread to Iraq's southern provinces, such as Basra, Maysan, and Dhi Qar, depending on wind direction. 'Radiation doesn't respect borders. Contamination could threaten agriculture, soil, and water,' she cautioned, urging the government to suspend food imports from Iran as a precaution. Laith added that depleted uranium can settle on farmland, contaminate surface water, and be absorbed by crops—particularly leafy greens like radish and celery—posing long-term health risks including cancer, birth defects, and infertility. Iraq's National Nuclear Regulatory Authority reiterated that no threat has been detected inside the country but confirmed that monitoring will continue as the regional situation evolves.