Eight seeking food in Gaza among at least 18 killed by Israeli fire
Gaza
reported the killing of at least 18 people by
Israeli
fire on Saturday as Palestinians endured severe risks in their search for food amid airdrops and restrictions on overland aid delivery. Eight of those killed had been seeking food.
Near a Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF) site, Yahia Youssef, who had come to seek aid on Saturday morning, described a panicked scene now grimly familiar.
After helping carry out three people wounded by gunshots, he said he looked around and saw many others lying on the ground bleeding.
'It's the same daily episode,' Mr Youssef said.
READ MORE
In response to questions about several witness accounts of violence at the northernmost of the Israeli-backed American contractor's four sites, the GHF media office said 'nothing [happened] at or near our sites'.
The episode came a day after US officials visited one site and the US ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee called GHF's distribution 'an incredible feat'.
International outrage has mounted as violence continues at sites where people are trying to access food and aid.
'We weren't close to them (the troops) and there was no threat,' Abed Salah, a man in his 30s who was among the crowds close to the GHF site near Netzarim corridor, said. 'I escaped death miraculously.'
Families of hostages protest Tel Aviv, Israel (Ariel Schalit/AP)
The danger facing aid seekers in Gaza has compounded what international hunger experts this week called a 'worst-case scenario of famine' in the besieged enclave.
Israel's near
22-month military offensive
against
Hamas
has shattered security in the territory of some two million Palestinians and made it nearly impossible to deliver food safely to starving people.
From May 27th to July 31st, 859 people were killed in the vicinity of GHF sites, according to a United Nations report published on Thursday. Hundreds more have been killed along the routes of food convoys.
Israel and GHF have said they have only fired warning shots and that the toll has been exaggerated.
Health officials reported that Israeli airstrikes and gunfire killed at least 18 Palestinians on Saturday, including three whose bodies were transported from the vicinity of a distribution site to a central Gaza hospital along with 36 others who were wounded.
Officials said 10 of Saturday's casualties were killed by strikes in central and southern Gaza.
Nasser Hospital said it received the bodies of five people killed in two separate strikes on tents sheltering displaced people.
The dead include two brothers and a relative who were killed when a strike hit their tent close to a main thoroughfare in Khan Younis.
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An Irish surgeon in Gaza: I have seen tiny bodies ripped apart, children eating grass
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Meanwhile, in Tel Aviv, families of Israeli hostages protested and urged Israel's government to push harder for the release of their loved ones, including those shown in footage released by militant groups earlier this week.
US
president
Donald Trump's
special envoy Steve Witkoff joined them a day after visiting Gaza and a week after walking away from ceasefire talks in Qatar, blaming Hamas's intransigence and pledging to find other ways to free hostages and make Gaza safe.
Of the 251 hostages who were abducted when Hamas led an attack on southern Israel on October 7th, 2023, about 20 are believed to be alive in Gaza.
Hamas and Islamic Jihad, the second-largest militant group in Gaza, released separate videos of individual hostages this week, triggering outrage among hostage families and Israeli society.
The war in Gaza began when Hamas attacked southern Israel on October 7th, 2023, killing about 1,200 people, mostly civilians.
Israel's retaliatory offensive has killed more than 60,000 Palestinians, according to Gaza's ministry for health, which does not distinguish between militants and civilians and operates under the Hamas government.
The UN and other international organisations see it as the most reliable source of data on casualties. -AP
Famine unfolding in Gaza: 'Children are eating grass and weeds at the side of the road'
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Irish Examiner
an hour ago
- Irish Examiner
Dozens killed seeking aid in Gaza as Israel considers further military action
At least 38 Palestinians were killed overnight and into Wednesday in the Gaza Strip while seeking aid from United Nations convoys and sites run by an Israeli-backed American contractor, according to local health officials. The Israeli military said it had fired warning shots when crowds approached its forces. The latest deaths came as Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was expected to announce further military action – and possibly plans for Israel to fully reoccupy Gaza. Trucks carrying humanitarian aid line up as they wait to enter the Rafah crossing between Egypt and the Gaza Strip (Khaled Elfiqi/AP) Experts say Israel's ongoing military offensive and blockade are already pushing the territory of some two million Palestinians into famine. Another escalation of the nearly 22-month war could put the lives of countless Palestinians and around 20 living Israeli hostages at risk, and would draw fierce opposition both internationally and within Israel. Mr Netanyahu's far-right coalition allies have long called for the war to be expanded, and for Israel to eventually take over Gaza, relocate much of its population and rebuild Jewish settlements there. US President Donald Trump, asked by a reporter on Tuesday whether he supported the reoccupation of Gaza, said he was not aware of the 'suggestion' but that 'it's going to be pretty much up to Israel'. At least 28 Palestinians were killed overnight and into Wednesday in the Morag Corridor, an Israeli military zone in southern Gaza where UN convoys have been repeatedly overwhelmed by looters and desperate crowds in recent days, and where witnesses say Israeli forces have repeatedly opened fire. The Israeli military said troops fired warning shots as Palestinians advanced towards them, and that it was not aware of any casualties. Nasser Hospital, which received the bodies, said another four people were killed in the Teina area, on a route leading to a site in southern Gaza run by the Israeli-backed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF), an American contractor. The Al-Awda Hospital said it received the bodies of six people killed near a GHF site in central Gaza. People inspect the damage at the Sheikh Radwan al-Taba UNRWA clinic following an Israeli army bombardment in Gaza City (Jehad Alshrafi/AP) Another 12 people were killed in Israeli air strikes, according to the two hospitals. The GHF said there were no violent incidents at or near its sites. The military says it tries to avoid harming civilians and blames their deaths on Hamas because its militants are entrenched in heavily populated areas. Israel facilitated the establishment of four GHF sites in May after blocking the entry of all food, medicine and other goods for two-and-a-half months. Israeli and US officials said a new system was needed to prevent Hamas from siphoning off humanitarian aid. The United Nations, which has delivered aid to hundreds of distribution points across Gaza throughout the war when conditions allow, has rejected the new system, saying it forces Palestinians to travel long distances and risk their lives for food, and that it allows Israel to control who gets aid, potentially using it to advance plans for further mass displacement. The UN human rights office said last week that some 1,400 Palestinians have been killed seeking aid since May, mostly near GHF sites but also along UN convoy routes where trucks have been overwhelmed by crowds. It says nearly all were killed by Israeli fire. Humanitarian aid is airdropped to Palestinians over Deir al-Balah, central Gaza Strip (Abdel Kareem Hana/AP) This week, a group of UN special rapporteurs and independent human rights experts called for the GHF to be disbanded, saying it is 'an utterly disturbing example of how humanitarian relief can be exploited for covert military and geopolitical agendas in serious breach of international law'. The experts work with the UN but do not represent the world body. The GHF called their statement 'disgraceful', and urged the UN and other aid groups to work with it 'to maximise the amount of aid being securely delivered to the Palestinian people in Gaza'. The Israeli military says it has only fired warning shots when crowds threatened its forces, and the GHF says its armed contractors have only used pepper spray and fired into the air on some occasions to prevent deadly crowding at its sites. Israel's blockade and military offensive have made it nearly impossible for anyone to safely deliver aid, and aid groups say recent Israeli measures to facilitate more assistance are far from sufficient. Hospitals recorded four more malnutrition-related deaths over the last 24 hours, bringing the total to 193 people, including 96 children, since the war began in October 2023, according to the Gaza Health Ministry. Jordan said Israeli settlers blocked roads and hurled stones at a convoy of four trucks carrying aid bound for Gaza after they drove across the border into the Israeli-occupied West Bank. Israeli far-right activists have repeatedly sought to halt aid from entering Gaza. Palestinians at Shifa Hospital in Gaza City mourn their relative who was killed while trying to reach aid trucks entering the northern Gaza Strip through the Zikim crossing with Israel (Jehad Alshrafi/AP) Jordanian government spokesperson Mohammed al-Momani condemned the attack, which he said had shattered the windscreens of the trucks, according to the Jordanian state-run Petra News Agency. The Israeli military said security forces went to the scene to disperse the gathering and accompanied the trucks to their destination. Hamas-led militants killed some 1,200 people, mostly civilians, in the October 7 attack and abducted another 251. Most of the hostages have been released in ceasefires or other deals. Of the 50 still held in Gaza, around 20 are believed to be alive. Israel's retaliatory offensive has killed more than 61,000 Palestinians, according to Gaza's Health Ministry, which does not say how many were fighters or civilians but says around half were women and children. It is part of the now largely defunct Hamas-run government and staffed by medical professionals. The UN and independent experts consider it the most reliable source for the number of war casualties.
Irish Times
4 hours ago
- Irish Times
Dozens are killed seeking aid in Gaza as Netanyahu considers further military action
At least 38 Palestinians were killed on overnight and into Wednesday in the Gaza Strip while seeking aid from United Nations convoys and sites run by an Israeli-backed American contractor, local health officials said. The Israeli military said it had fired warning shots when crowds approached its forces. The latest deaths came as Israeli prime minister Binyamin Netanyahu was expected to announce further military action – and possibly plans for Israel to reoccupy Gaza fully. Mr Netanyahu is scheduled to discuss military plans for Gaza with other ministers on Thursday. READ MORE Experts say Israel's continuing military offensive and blockade are already pushing the territory of two million Palestinians into famine. Palestinians watch parachuted aid packages landing in the Nuseirat area in the central Gaza Strip on Wednesday. Photograph: Eyad Baba/Getty Mr Netanyahu's far-right coalition allies have long called for the war to be expanded, for Israel to take over Gaza eventually, relocate much of its population and rebuild Jewish settlements there. At least 28 Palestinians were killed overnight and into Wednesday in the Morag Corridor, an Israeli military zone in southern Gaza where UN convoys have been repeatedly overwhelmed by looters and desperate crowds in recent days and where witnesses say Israeli forces have repeatedly opened fire. The Israeli military said troops fired warning shots as Palestinians advanced towards them and it said it was not aware of any casualties. Nasser Hospital, which received the bodies, said another four people were killed in the Teina area, on a route leading to a site in southern Gaza run by the Israeli-backed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF), an American contractor. The Al-Awda Hospital said it received the bodies of six people killed near a GHF site in central Gaza. Another 12 people were killed in Israeli air strikes, the two hospitals said. The GHF said there were no violent incidents at or near its sites. The military says it tries to avoid harming civilians and blames their deaths on Hamas because its militants are entrenched in heavily populated areas. Israel facilitated the establishment of four GHF sites in May after blocking the entry of all food, medicine and other goods for two-and-a-half months. A view from the air as aid drops from a Jordanian C-130 military aircraft on Wednesday in Gaza. Photograph: Salah Malkawi/Getty Israeli and US officials said a new system was needed to prevent Hamas from siphoning off humanitarian aid. The UN, which has delivered aid to hundreds of distribution points across Gaza throughout the war when conditions allowed, has rejected the new system, saying it forced Palestinians to travel long distances and risk their lives for food. The UN said the arrangements also allowed Israel to control who gets aid, potentially using it to advance plans for further mass displacement. The UN human rights office said last week that 1,400 Palestinians have been killed seeking aid since May, mostly near GHF sites but also along UN convoy routes where trucks have been overwhelmed by crowds. It says nearly all were killed by Israeli fire. The GHF did not immediately respond to a request for comment. The Israeli military said it has only fired warning shots when crowds threatened its forces. The GHF said its armed contractors have only used pepper spray and fired into the air on some occasions to prevent deadly crowding at its sites. Israel's blockade and military offensive have made it nearly impossible for anyone to safely deliver aid. Aid groups say recent Israeli measures to facilitate more assistance are far from sufficient. Hospitals on Wednesday recorded four more malnutrition-related deaths over the previous 24 hours, bringing the total to 193 people, including 96 children, since the war began in October 2023, the Gaza Health Ministry said. Hamas-led militants killed 1,200 people, mostly civilians, in the October 7th, 2023, attack on southern Israel and abducted another 251. Most hostages have been released in ceasefires or other deals. Of the 50 still held in Gaza, about 20 are believed to be alive. Israel's retaliatory offensive has killed more than 61,000 Palestinians, according to Gaza's health ministry, which does not say how many were fighters or civilians but says around half were women and children. The ministry is part of the now largely defunct Hamas-run government and staffed by medical professionals. The UN and independent experts consider it the most reliable source for the number of war casualties. – AP
Irish Independent
17 hours ago
- Irish Independent
Research reveals impact of Great Famine on survivors' height
The research, from Queen's Business School in Belfast and Edinburgh Business School, examined the impact of one of the defining events in Irish history. It found that in some regions the survivors' average adult height was comparable to – or even slightly greater than – that of individuals born before or after the Famine. Around one million people died from starvation or disease in the Famine from 1845 to 1852. A stunting of height is usually associated with malnutrition and disease. The study used the historical data of 14,500 individuals, with different exposures to famine conditions and drawn from two prisons, in Dublin and Tipperary, born before, during and after the Famine. The findings have been published in Economic History Review, coinciding with the 180th anniversary of the beginning of the Famine. The study revealed that individuals born during the Famine exhibited reduced health outcomes. This effect dominated in areas with low famine mortality, such as Dublin. With the weakest succumbing to disease and starvation, this left the healthiest to survive It also showed that those who survived the Famine were, on average, the taller, more robust individuals. Areas most affected by the Famine, such as in Tipperary, saw an increase in average societal health for survivors. Dr Chris Colvin, of Queen's Business School, said: 'Individuals born in severely affected regions such as Tipperary exhibited no evidence of stunted growth, indicating that the Famine disproportionately eliminated the most vulnerable. 'In contrast, stunting is observed only in areas with lower excess mortality such as Dublin, where selective pressures were weaker. 'With the weakest in society succumbing to disease and starvation, this left only the healthiest to survive into adulthood. They grew up to be significantly taller than average.' Professor Eoin McLaughlin, of Edinburgh Business School at Heriot-Watt University, said: 'This research reshapes how we understand the long-term effects of humanitarian disasters like famines. 'By distinguishing between scarring – lasting damage to survivors' health – and selective mortality, it challenges simple assumptions that crises always leave a uniformly weakened population.'
